Without Elena
by Lana Archer
Summary: Elena Gilbert is dead. Bonnie and Jeremy form a makeshift family along with Caroline and Matt as they all try to mourn and move on. But what happens when the Salvatores arrive AND stick around? And...what exactly is the port of call when a stranger sweeps into town looking exactly like your dead best friend?
1. Chapter 1

**Without Elena**

**Prologue:**

After losing Elena and her parents in that horrific car accident on Wickery Bridge Caroline and Bonnie hadn't done a lot of living. Jeremy had been taken in by Rudy Hopkins, Bonnie's dad and though the arrangement had been intended to be temporary seeing as his aunt was set to move to town, Jeremy had clung to Bonnie like a frightened child. Bonnie was no better, the terrible fact of her having lost her best friend, her _sister_, left a corrosive heaviness in her chest that ate away at her with every breath. The two of them had disappeared into their own little dark world, only letting Grams, Caroline and her mother in from time to time, as well as Bonnie's father every now and then. It was no secret that Rudy was hardly ever home, blaming his work life so Bonnie had all but grown up as a Gilbert. Jeremy held onto her because she was the only family he had left in his mind and for her he was a much needed painful reminder of everything she'd lost that night and everything she needed to stay steady in her hope for their futures. Caroline had cradled them as best as she could but her own life had quickly fallen to shredded tatters of her fondest memories; her father disappearing into the night leaving her with an empty house, which her mother had chosen to abandon, rather drowning herself in paperwork at the police station. But being Bonnie, she'd been able to be strong when Caroline felt her world slipping off of its axis, temptingly leaning away from everything they knew, in favour of a looming depression. But Bonnie held her when she cried; she held Bonnie when Bonnie cried and they both did their best to keep Jeremy sane – a daily endeavour. Matt had been the most resilient, loss and loneliness no surprise to the beautiful boy; he'd quickly turned to their pillar, though he'd lost the love of his life that night. The four of them, banded together in their sorrow, and they were slowly beginning to heal, to find some semblance of normalcy when it all turned to shit. And worst of all – the _reason_ for their dizzying spiral into the supernatural world? A vampire with the exact face of their dead Elena.

* * *

**Chapter One: The Road To Hell**

"Jeremy I _swear_! –" Bonnie called out angrily as she swept into his bedroom, right across from hers, "If I find _one_ more of these," she held up the burnt up joint between her fingers with a look of severe disgust, "I'm telling dad." Jeremy's brown eyes, so much like Elena's bulged in shock and shame, having thought he'd hidden it so well this time. His expression quickly turned indignant and he jutted out his chin at Bonnie, something he'd actually picked up from _her_.

"_Tell him_, and then we can _all_ have the _awesome_ family-talk where he quickly discovers that you've been smoking just as much as me." Bonnie narrowed her eyes, "That's right, you don't hide it very well either, a little air-freshener wouldn't kill you Bon-Bon." She scoffed as she folded her arms. "So what do you say?" His eyes lit up with a devious twinkle, "How about we bury the hatchet over you helping me with my homework and then I'll help with dinner?" She chewed her bottom lip and her eyes were still narrowed, but Jeremy knew he had her exactly where he wanted her.

"_Fine_. But I hope you realise that 'helping' doesn't mean 'not eating it all before it's even on the plate'." Her fingers curled around the words as she came to flop onto the edge of his bed as he grinned at the small success. "Also, Grams is coming over after dinner, apparently I'm due for another Wiccan lecture." Jeremy looked unphased by this, he thought it was actually cool how her Grams, _his_ Grams too really, as loopy as she was, knew so much about magic and witchcraft. It made the world a lot less dull when you saw it through her eyes.

"Sure, _whatever_, just help me with these, I swear Miss Harrow –" his tirade about math was cut off by the loud ringing of Bonnie's phone. Shooting her an amused look when he recognised the ringtone to be _Barbie Girl_ by Aqua she rolled her eyes and hopped up to her feet.

"_Hey_ Blondie." Bonnie sang, hand on her hip after eyeing Jeremy out while she listened to Caroline's mile-a-minute babbling, "Sure –" she sucked in a breath when Caroline kept going, "Care – Caroline, shut up, I said okay." Chuckling she held the device away from her ear when the blonde's squealing became too much. "I'll see you later." Hanging up she exhaled; a long, tired sound and Jeremy knew exactly what it meant.

"Can I go?" He asked and Bonnie shot him a dark look. "_What_? I'll totally behave." She snorted.

"I'm getting you a dictionary for your birthday," She said, leaning over to grab his work book for school, "Because I know that _you_ think 'behaving' means ogling Matt's sister until Tyler punches you in the face." Jeremy's smile was dangerously wide. "You can come to the party if you stay sober," he frowned then, "I'm serious kid; I can only cover for you so many times in a month." Jeremy growled but relented.

"_Fine_," he said sullenly causing Bonnie to chuckle, "Homework, dinner, Grams and _then_ – to the woods!"

* * *

_**Caroline had been adding fresh flowers to the memorial shrine at the bottom of Elena's locker – she didn't care if two months had passed, it would always be Elena's locker – when he'd walked passed her. Sighing, she lifted the photo frame of Elena and felt the familiar sting of tears pierce the corners of her eyes when she heard two bodies collide into one another behind her. Stefan had slammed right into a burly football player, sending the bulkier boy flying somehow. Apologising, Stefan helped him up only to be swatted away in annoyance as Caroline watched. Slowly she rose to her feet as Stefan righted himself and turned to her. The football player muttered angrily under his breath as he stormed away and Caroline shook her head slightly.**_

"_**Are you okay?" She asked after a beat and he blinked a few times, his eyes on the photo frame still in her hands. She noticed and jerked a little, pulling it to her chest instinctually like she could still protect the girl in the photo, no matter how long gone the brunette was. **_

"_**Fine," Stefan replied softly, returning his eyes to Caroline's face, "That girl, when did she…"**_

"**Die**_**?" Caroline supplied uneasily. He nodded. "Over summer."**_

"_**I'm sorry." Stefan said, with a sudden shyness she was immediately fond of. "I shouldn't pry, I'm not very good at acclimating, it's my first day at school and I've already annoyed an athlete and irked a pretty girl." Caroline's smile was a tentative mixture of empathy and surprise.**_

"_**You're fine, it's a small town, we take everything too seriously, don't mind us," he smiled then, "…And in the spirit of **_**friendliness**_** I'm extending you an invitation to a party in the woods."**_

"_**A party in the woods?" He echoed dubiously and she nodded.**_

"_**Sounds ominous I know," she smiled, "But it should help you familiarise yourself with everyone's faces and **_**you know**_**, learn who you should and shouldn't bump into in the hallways." He nodded and even though his brows huddled over his luminescent green eyes she saw a softness there, an appreciation at her warmth.**_

"_**Thank you." He said, "I suppose I should, uh, your number, to –" she twirled on her heel then and dropped down to the arrangement of flowers and photos, carefully returning the photo of Elena to its place between another of Elena, Bonnie and herself and another of the lot of them, with Matt, Jeremy and even Tyler. They had all been so happy… Shaking herself out of her thoughts she stayed crouched and scribbled her number and name on the corner of a page in her notebook and ripped it off. Standing up she turned to him with her hand held out to him.**_

"_**Caroline… by the way." She said as he took it and he smiled.**_

"_**Stefan." He replied.**_

So when Caroline saw him walking through the crowd towards her later that night at the kegger she shoved Bonnie a little and squealed behind her other hand. _Annoyed_, the green eyed girl looked to where Caroline was obviously trying to keep her eyes from roaming and laughed.

"Of course you'd make a dash for the newbie, be _gentle_… he looks sweet." Bonnie said, her nose crinkling as she looked down into her cup of beer. She frowned then, where the hell was Jeremy?

"I can be _gentle_," Caroline admonished, fluffing her hair and waving when he locked eyes with her. "Well, I can pretend." Bonnie rolled her eyes and nodded, taking a step away.

"I have to go find Jeremy, I'm sure he's fine I just…"

"_You worry_ –" Caroline said with a lazy wave of her hand when Stefan finally came to a stand between them, "I don't know why," Caroline went on turning to her friend, "We both know he's the most dangerous thing that could happen to him right now."

"Hence the _worrying_," Bonnie said, her hands out and her eyes widening a little, she looked to Stefan then, "I'm Bonnie," she said with a nod before turning to Caroline, "And I'll be on baby brother duty if anyone needs me." Caroline rolled her eyes.

"Text me when you find him or if you haven't in the next fifteen minutes!" Caroline called after her.

"Yes mom!" Bonnie yelled over her shoulder in return, saluting with her cup. Caroline sighed before remembering who was standing next to her. With a sudden straightening of her frame she looked to him and smiled.

"Sorry, we tend to bicker." Caroline said with a shy smile, swinging her arms out a little, "A _lot_ actually." Stefan smiled as his eyes followed Bonnie before she disappeared into the crowd.

"I have an older brother, somewhat estranged, but he and I fought like we were getting commissioned for each insult." Caroline laughed empathetically.

"Family's do have a certain endearing quality about them don't they?" She said before blowing out a breath, "I'm rambling, should we get you a drink?"

"Sure, after you."

* * *

"Jer, you're _killing_ me." Bonnie muttered as she walked a little further into the forest, away from the raucous crowd, thinking that he was sulking behind a tree somewhere. She'd seen Vicki and Tyler playing _Face-Invaders_ not too long ago with her little brother nowhere to be seen. She was willing to bet her entire music collection that he was lighting up a joint somewhere around here. "Come _on_." She hissed, texting him again. Stumbling a little over a raised tree root she decided to keep her eyes up and alert. Did that shadow just move? "Jer?" She called out, "Jer, it's _me_, I don't care what you're doing, just groan once if it's you and I'll leave you to wallow in peace." She was still walking towards where she'd seen the movement…Jeremy could be so petulant when it struck his fancy – boy could pout for _days_, she just didn't know why he wasn't answering her. "Jeremy, come on…"

* * *

"Hey have you guys seen Bon?" Jeremy asked, popping up out of nowhere. Caroline was about to reply when she got a better look at him. His hair was dishevelled and his eyes were a bright red and she narrowed her own and put a hand on her hip. Caroline could go from peppy cheerleader to you-missed-my-phone-call mom mode faster than you could blink.

"Jeremy Gilbert," she scolded, "Bonnie's off scouring the party for you and you're _what_? Getting high behind someone's minivan?" Jeremy snickered, his dazed eyes flickering over to Stefan's face and he frowned, not recognising the other boy at all.

"Who are you?" Jeremy wondered.

"Stefan Salvatore." Stefan answered evenly. Jeremy pulled a face that was a mixture of indifference and amusement.

"Cool," he said sounding half asleep, "_Listen_," he said looking back to Caroline, "When you see Bonnie could you tell her to come get me? I'm gonna be with Vicki, I wanna go home but I'll wait for her." Caroline rolled her eyes but nodded, pulling her phone out to text her best friend.

* * *

"Jeremy, so help me I'll –" Her raging was cut off by a swift shove from her right that sent her flying onto the floor. She landed with a sharp thud and coughed as she struggled up, frowning at the dense smoke that was washing over the forest floor, curling around her as she made to stand up.

"…_Boo_." A voice whispered in her ear once she was upright and she spun around to find the source but no one was there. Bonnie's heart was in her throat at this point, the sudden fear almost strangling her as it left her paralysed. Whipping her head this way and that she felt her bottom lip begin to tremble but she wasn't about to be the butt of someone, or some_thing_'s joke. Kicking her ass into gear and ignoring the buzzing from her phone in her hand she ran back to the direction of the party only to be shoved again – **harder** this time. The force of the blow sent her skidding across the ground, knocking her against a rock that was sticking out from the earth. It hit her right in the stomach, effectively leaving her breathless and starry-eyed as she rolled onto her back gasping desperately for air. A shadow crouched over her and all Bonnie could make out as her vision came and went were bright blue eyes and luminescent teeth that seemed too pointed, too _sharp_ as they caught the flickering moonlight above them. "I do enjoy the ones that run." The voice came again, sweeter this time, softer, but taunting all the same. The man sounded amused as he hovered over her curiously. Then, with an impossible agility he had her by her neck and pulled her up as she tried to uncross her eyes and right her senses. He squeezed a little; as if checking the durability of her throat and she wheezed, eyes lined with terrified tears. He leaned into her and she would have screamed had he not been throttling the very ability out of her at that point. She managed a strangled whimper when she felt the air around her face move as he drew in a deep breath as if to savour her scent. Her eyes widened in horror and she struggled against him. "Now, now." He chastised, lifting her easily by her throat as he himself stood to his feet, "No need to get testy, you are after all going to survive this." Before she had the chance to even process his words he had her pushed up against a tree and, like serrated knives, his teeth sank into the soft, thin skin at her neck and she screamed.

* * *

Caroline had been mid-sentence when Stefan froze and his neck snapped in the direction of the dense forest. Frowning, he gave Caroline little chance to ask him what was wrong when he ran off, only to have her follow after him.

* * *

Bonnie didn't even feel connected to her body anymore. It was like someone had unplugged her sensors and now she was just floating around inside of her skin. In and out of consciousness when she heard feet skidding across the loose dirt around her and someone falling to their knees beside her.

"Call an ambulance!" Someone barked, a voice she didn't recognise at the same time she heard Caroline gasp. She'd know that intake of breath anywhere; and she knew the different types that Caroline made for various situations and this gasp…it meant it was _bad_. Whatever had just happened to her was _very_ bad. Bonnie managed to open her eyes and look up at …Stefan? She tried opening her mouth to say the one word that had been rolling around in her mouth since the monster had dropped her to the ground not so long ago.

"Va –" she had to swallow and try again, "Vam…" but Stefan shushed her as he lifted her easily into his arms and ran back to the party to get to the parking lot. Caroline was near hysterical and Bonnie tried to say something to quell her concern, to calm her some but then she heard Jeremy.

"What happened to her?!" He yelled and Bonnie's mouth went slack as her head rolled to the side and her mind went blank.

* * *

"_That's the thing about immortality my dear," a woman was saying as she and Bonnie walked through what seemed to be a garden of sorts – groomed to the point of excellence, "There are no rules that can bind you." Bonnie frowned, having no idea what the lady was rambling on about when she turned to smile at her. Bonnie's heart dropped to her stomach and she skidded to a halt much to the confusion of the other person._

"…Elena_?" Bonnie gasped, her mouth hanging open. The girl, her best friend, frowned and shook her head slowly, taking a slow step towards Bonnie and put a hand on her shoulder. _

"_Emily I thought we agreed that you'd only experiment with your magic once a week, you're obviously draining yourself if you can't even remember so much as my _name_." Bonnie began to shake her head, her mouth opening and closing soundlessly as she took in the sight of what her dead best friend was dressed in. A dress; made of thick layers of the finest fabrics and in the prettiest shade of lilac wound her frame and her hair was pressed into tight ringlets that framed her face and lay hidden underneath a cute bonnet. Her eyes roamed to herself and everything was off there too. She was in a dress as well but it was mousier, more practical. But it was the hands that rose up to meet Bonnie's vision that confounded her even more; they were bigger than her unusually small dainty appendages, and there were the beginnings of callouses on these like whomever they belonged to was a hard worker. And while Bonnie was known to get her hands dirty not once would she forget to look after them as well. "I need you to be ready for when the inevitable happens." Bonnie's eyes snapped back up to 'Elena's' and she nodded, stupidly. The same smile Bonnie had mourned for the last two months broke out over the other girl's face and it lulled Bonnie into a sense of peace and normality, even amongst this absolutely absurd dream. "Come, come, let's see what the boys are up to."_

"_The boys –" Before Bonnie could finish her sentence two men came bounding over to them and her eyes flickered between their faces…before she could grasp any of the details though she felt herself slipping, fading, falling downwards into a cool nothingness. She lay there for a few moments; between the folds of darkness before she was pulled, abruptly upwards and back into reality._

* * *

Bonnie gasped awake and shot upright, startling Caroline, Jeremy and her Grams who all looked simply haggard with exhaustion and worry.

"_**Bonnie**_!" Caroline yelped while Jeremy fell over himself to get to the girl whose wide green eyes were darting around the room, searching for a looming darkness – for whatever had found her in the forest before to come and snatch her up again. Grams clutched her chest, relief clear as day on her features as the older woman watched Jeremy climb onto the hospital bed, Bonnie immediately scooting over to accommodate him even as her face remained frightened and unspeakably pale. Bonnie winced and felt the tightness of the bandage around her neck, lifting a hand to tug at it which Jeremy immediately smacked away.

"Bonnie, I'm so _sorry_ –" Jeremy began but she shook her head.

"Don't do that Jer," she said softly bumping her knuckles gently against his chin, "Don't blame yourself, I'm fine."

"You shouldn't have been there, if I'd just stayed with you –"

"Then we would have ended up arguing about _something_ and _you_ would have stalked off into the forest and then it would be _you_ instead of _me_. And what good is that?" Bonnie said, looking at him with the same firm expression he'd come to associate with her; she was familiar, she was his family, his home…_all_ that was left of it. Having to see her dangling in Stefan's arms with blood caked in a garish pattern from her throat to her collarbone…it was too much for him and he didn't need to be reminded how he'd have nothing left if he lost her as well. Bonnie could sense it, the sadness rising over him and she half smiled half sighed as she pulled him under her arm, resting her chin on his head when he nuzzled down into her despite being a good deal taller than her. She locked eyes with Caroline then and smiled, even when tears began to fall. Caroline's face twisted in a potent mixture of relief and pain as her own tears surfaced. Rushing to her feet the blonde rounded the bed and came to the other side of Bonnie, sitting on the edge of the bed near her to bury her face into the crook of Bonnie's shoulder, being sure to avoid the wounds. Sheila looked on, caught between the love displayed in front of her and the intrinsic knowledge of _exactly_ which animal had been behind the attack on her granddaughter.

* * *

Stefan had been pacing the corridor outside of the ward Bonnie had been placed in but when he heard her wake up he sucked in a determined breath and stormed out of the hospital. Once he was in his car he sped out of the parking lot and through the dead streets until he reached his home. Well, his most recent one. Killing the engine and slamming the door he stuffed his hands into his pockets and made no movement to walk into the house.

"If we're gonna do this, we're gonna do this outside." His voice was low and deadly and his posture stiffened when he heard cackling coming from inside of his house. _Damon_. Before he could hope his older brother would reveal himself there was a sickening crack of bone and Stefan gasped, lurching forward only to be sent careening backwards when Damon himself came flying at him. Landing on the gravel with a low thud he snarled as he looked up at the blue eyed devil himself. Damon winked as he tightened his grip on Stefan's throat, his face playfully pensive. Before Stefan could ask what he was so smug about Damon's other hand revealed the still-bleeding head of Zach Salvatore.

"_Hello brother_." Damon's smile was feral.

* * *

**Thoughts?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Note: **Just a quick thank you to everyone who jumped on board with this, I'm very excited about this plot and I can't wait to see what you guys think. _Enjoy_.

* * *

_**Dear Diary**_

_**Today Bonnie and I had our first real fight I think. And it was stupid. So stupid and now she's not even texting me back even after I've apologised. Which I did right off the bat, because I knew I was wrong…I shouldn't have said that about her hair. But she does run a little late sometimes making sure her dad remembers everything for his flights when he leaves so she doesn't always have time to do her hair like she'd like and I was tired and it was early…but still, I apologised. **_

_**Hopefully she'll forgive me when I show her the new photos mom took of us when we were at the Lake House two weeks ago. There's a pretty one of her and me, and her hair looks great in it too so she won't complain. She might even crack a smile and forgive me for asking her why she looked like she stuck her face in front of an industrial fan and then hair sprayed it…I am awful sometimes.**_

_**In my defence, I didn't love her any less, frazzled hair or straightened – she's my Bonnie. My sister and I'll always love her, maybe even a day longer than forever if whoever's upstairs would let me.**_

_**Always hopeful, **_

_**Elena**_

**Chapter Two: Like Fire And Powder**

Bonnie knew she was only torturing herself by reading Elena's diary but she had so little left over of her friend…sighing as more tears fell she pulled her legs up to rest the book on. Elena's squiggly scrawls made her heart ache and the longing became painfully acute – like the point of an arrow sticking out from her heart. She had all of Elena's journals and she'd kept them hidden from everyone else, except Jeremy but he never even looked at them even though Bonnie made a point to keep them where he'd find them. She'd only just been discharged from the hospital. They'd run some more tests on her to make sure the transfusion had gone off without a hitch and that she could go back home…where she was ordered to a minimum of three days bed rest. So, there she sat, a bright Saturday morning tracing her fingers over the ink long left behind by Elena Gilbert. She heard the front door open and close and she shut her eyes after stuffing the journal under the pillow behind her, relishing in her last few seconds of solitude. As she reopened her eyes Matt stepped into her bedroom; that signature look of sad affection in his eyes.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up," he said as he came to sit on the bed with her, putting his arm around her shoulder and pulling her close, "I had to take Vicki back – she got sick everywhere and Caroline said that she'd keep me posted, but even so I should have –" Bonnie shook her head as she settled against his shoulder.

"Someone needs to look after Vicki," Bonnie said softly, a faraway look in her eyes as she fiddled with the Velcro contraption wrapped around her sprained wrist, "Besides, Jer and Care were there when I woke up after the transfusion…Grams too, so I was in good hands." She felt him nod and then sigh as he sank further into the headboard.

"How bad are the battle scars?" He asked after a few moments. She looked up at him and shook her head with a smile on her face.

"Sprained wrist, two wounds on my neck, bruises on my shoulder and stomach…they were surprised I didn't break any bones." She said easily and Matt tensed. "Matt I'm _fine_."

"You realise none of us are going anywhere alone anymore now right?" The boy asked, moving to look her in the eye, "Especially at night…the thought of anything more happening to one of us –"

"Matt –"

"Bonnie, I'm serious, look; I get it, accidents happen. But an _animal_ attack? It's entirely avoidable so we're _going_ to avoid it." Bonnie bit her bottom lip to keep from saying anything back. Nothing could stop Matt from worrying before so it was now officially a lost cause – he'd be on high-alert…for who knows _how_ long. Maybe forever.

"Okay." She said after a while, so long he'd thought she'd zoned out again or something, "I suppose there's no better time to start than _now_ right?" Standing up she ignored his narrowed eyes and waved him off as he made to speak, "I still want to go to the cemetery."

"Bon you're supposed to be on bed-rest." He reminded her even as he stood to his feet to get her coat from her cupboard while she pulled on her sneakers. Grinning, the girl pulled up her hair into a high ponytail and stood upright as he held out her favourite jacket to her.

"Walking around a grave isn't exactly strenuous exercise." Bonnie quipped lightly as she stuck her arms into her jacket, "Come on, before Jer wakes up." Nodding to her he reached out to her and hugged her quickly. She relaxed into his hold for a moment, but pulled away when it dredged up too many flashbacks – like the memory of him hugging her the same way as Elena's coffin was lowered to the ground. They shared a quasi-smile, knowing they were both thinking of the same thing before they walked out of her house and down to his truck. It was still early so the street was quiet. But they did this every Saturday morning, she and Matt and Bonnie wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

Stefan hadn't gone back to the boarding house since Damon had all but thrown Zach's head at him and thrown him aside like a flimsy doll. Walking around the cemetery he slowly made his way to the Salvatore mausoleum. He needed a plan; a new one. He'd come back to Mystic Falls to start over but he should have known better. Damon always had a knack for ruining the simplest of things. Stefan knew, at the end of the day that Damon would never hurt him, but it was everyone else that the younger Salvatore was worried about. The bright blonde girl who looked so sad and so happy all at once, her best friend, the girl with the fiercest green eyes he'd ever seen…the way she'd flopped around in his arms like slightest breeze would just blow her away like a falling leaf and her kid brother who looked like he needed a quick smack to the head and a warm hug. They all deserved better than this and Stefan didn't know how to save them. Because he _knew_ Damon, and Damon was here for a reason, and claim as he'd like that it was a family reunion Stefan knew better. He'd learned the hard way to always expect the worst when it came to Damon because Damon made a point of reminding the world just how ruthless he could be. Stefan felt it in his gut that it had something to do with the girl, Elena, he'd found out from Caroline the night before, who was a spitting image of Damon's Katherine. The same seething vampire mistress who'd taken it upon herself to stretch and ruin an already tumultuous relationship between two brothers – because her misery obviously wasn't enough. Letting out an angry roar the boy kicked a hole into the ground, sucking in a sharp breath when he watched a thin fissure splinter through the earth for a further three metres. Groaning as he wiped at his face he shoved his hands in his pockets before freezing where he stood.

"…Hang on I think I forgot – dang it, I did –" someone said and there was a movement, a ruffle of a jacket as someone turned and Stefan perked up, "I brought flowers but they're in the backseat of the truck."

"I'll be fine Matt," a feminine voice said and Stefan recognised it immediately as Bonnie's, "I'll be by the site…don't _worry_," the girl chuckled, "_go_." Stefan made his way to her voice and she soon came into view, still smiling as she walked with her injured wrist raised at a more comfortable angle and the other fiddling with the ends of the dressing around her neck from where Damon had bitten her – he'd bitten Bonnie to send a message to Stefan…a message Stefan had yet to decipher. Bonnie was looking down as she walked but she must have sensed eyes on her because she looked up just as Stefan had turned to stare at the ground. They were both in black trench coats and dark denim jeans, the colours making their respective eye colours stand out vibrantly against the unseasonably cold morning.

"…_Stefan_, right?" she asked when he turned to look at her. He nodded, hands still in his pockets as he met her halfway, a nondescript grave stone between them. "Thank you…" she went on, her eyes not quite being able to hold his as she sighed sadly, "For last night, I mean –"

"I'm just glad you're safe," Stefan said, cutting her off gently, "Really, there's no need to thank me for something anyone would have done." Bonnie looked at him, her mouth pressed in an awkward smile as she processed his tone.

"Well, from a complete stranger it means a little more somehow," she said, sticking her thin arm out to his, "Which reminds me, I'm Bonnie Bennett." Stefan smiled a small smile and shook her hand, frowning when she jerked it away with a gasp. "Sorry," she stammered, "How rude of me, I think you must have shocked me or something…sneakers or friction, you know…Uh, I have to, uhm –"

"Bon!" Matt called out and the girl spun around, waving him over. "There you are," the boy said walking until they stood shoulder to shoulder as he looked at Stefan, sticking out his hand the two boys shook as a way of greeting before stuffing their hands back into their coats, "Stefan Salvatore, right?" Matt went on, smiling when the boy nodded, "Look man, thank you for helping Bonnie out last night…_seriously_ –"

"Don't mention it," Stefan said with a quick smile, his eyes darting to Bonnie who was looking at him strangely, "I'll leave you two to it then; I have my own respects to pay." Matt nodded, already moving forward when Bonnie made a sound of hesitation.

"Stefan, could I talk to you for a second?" Bonnie asked, shooting Matt a reassuring smile when he looked at her in question, "It's …about Caroline, I'll be quick I promise." Matt looked between the two of them and shrugged, walking a few feet away where the Gilbert graves were. Bonnie looked at her friend and then at Stefan before she pulled him even further away by the crook of his elbow. Stefan wasn't quite sure what to make of her behaviour but went along with it in any case. Little did he know he was no longer dealing with Bonnie Bennett at all. When they were far enough away she yanked away like she'd been burned.

"What are you doing back here?" Bonnie hissed her face hard and angry. Stefan stammered a little, utterly confused. "_Speak_ vampire." The girl growled, her voice sounding so unlike he'd come to remember it but so _familiar_ at the same time. Stefan's eyes ballooned as the fateful word left her mouth.

"_What_? Bonnie, I don't know what you're talking about." Stefan whispered hotly, peeking over his shoulder at her friend who was luckily still preoccupied. Bonnie smirked then, reminding her so much of Damon in that moment and he watched as her green eyes turned brown, her face turned oval and mouth flattened to a smooth curve as opposed to the blushing cupid's bow she usually had. "…Emily?" he gasped as he finally recognised the new face in front of him. "Wha – _How_?"

"Never mind that," Bonnie spat after her face returned to normal though she still spoke with Emily's voice, "You need to leave, now."

"I can't."

"I'll _make_ you."

"_Damon's here_." Bonnie's face turned horror stricken.

"He fed on her to antagonise you." Bonnie surmised in a clipped tone, her lip curling into a snarl, "And he will _pay_."

"_What_?" Stefan asked, reaching his arm out to touch her when Bonnie blinked and seemed to fall back into herself and immediately frowned at Stefan's hand on her. He recoiled and tried to make a swift recovery. "…Sorry, I was just asking if you were okay, you blanked out there for a bit." Bonnie fumbled and smiled, nodding her head as reassuringly as she could. Stefan swallowed nervously, wholly unprepared for the shit-storm he knew was coming. "I should, I should go." He stammered and she nodded.

"Me too." She said, still a bit taken aback and confused. He smiled then, as best as he could and hurried off. He had to talk to Damon - and _now_. Bonnie's eyes followed him as he practically ran away from her, leaving an unsettling sensation in her belly, one that she quickly shoved down and made her way to Matt.

* * *

Sheila Bennett was angry. Scratch that, she was furious. **Livid**. On the brink of killing someone, or rather some_thing_. She knew the day would come and the comet would change it all but she couldn't help that she'd harboured such a grudge against it that it had driven her to madness. There was a reason she drank so much, a reason she'd fallen in on herself the way she had even though she'd made a point to be the best grandmother she could be for Bonnie. Her dear Bonnie…sucking in a breath as she tore through her archives she thought back to the onus placed on the shoulders of the Bennetts and how it had torn Bonnie's chances of having a normal life, a normal family to shreds. The spell that bound them under its curse, the same spell that ripped them apart and the same spell that would surely be the death of them all. The spell that started with Emily Bennett. Sheila grunted as she heaved the leather bound book out of the trunk and gripped it to her chest as she clamoured downstairs to her living room. Leafing through it she thought back to what her own mother had had to explain to her, and how she'd soon be having the same talk with Bonnie. Because Bonnie was the last one that fell into the timeline of the curse and it ate at Sheila that she wasn't the only one who'd have to bear this burden. Her fingers trailed over the thick raised ink as she read over the spell itself. There was an image of a clear circle at the very top of the page – a full moon. Just underneath a comet was drawn flying across the page, curling under the moon. Below that were the fateful words:

_The Stars and Blood of the Bennetts_

It had been their best kept secret until Emily Bennett; until she'd been forced to hide and entomb vampires to protect them against the townspeople. The Bennett's had stars they could channel with their magic, periodic comets that could mark eras where their powers were strongest. This allowed them to unbind strong spells, unbind curses, right wrongs or implement spells of their own with an infallible efficacy. But since Emily the mates of the vampires or their kin had hounded her to undo the spell, not believing her when she said she no longer could. She was killed within months and the vampires made it no secret that they would hunt down every Bennett they could to undo the spell and reunite them with their loved ones. But soon they discovered the truth behind Emily's words, they found out the truth about the _Bennett Stars_, so they relented, waiting, literally for the stars to align to reunite them with the entombed vampires.

The comet set to pass in little over a month was the first one since Emily had bound the tomb and that meant that the vampires were coming back. They were coming back for the Bennett family. Lucy had long fled, Abby had made a point to let her powers dwindle so that she'd be safe, though she bolted anyway and that left Sheila and Bonnie, poor Bonnie who hadn't even come into her powers yet. Poor Bonnie who had already been attacked by some blasted vampire. She knew that had they known who Bonnie was, they would never have harmed her the way they had, not without threatening her at least, which meant they'd had other motivations. Motivations she was morbidly grateful for. The fewer vampires that knew about her being a Bennett the better. She knew the concealment spell she'd placed on Bonnie when she turned a mere ten years old was waning now and she needed to reseal it. She wouldn't allow Bonnie to be sucked into this mess, she would bear the brunt of whatever was coming and she'd smile about it. It was too late for her but Bonnie deserved better. Bonnie Bennett deserved the world.

* * *

Stefan stepped into the boarding house, heading straight for the living room where he was sure Damon would be, guzzling bourbon and gloating about his most recent display of power. Damon spun around, his blue eyes glittering with cheer and mischief at his younger brother's arrival.

"Hello brother." Damon said, with a flourish of his hand that housed a tumbler of bourbon. Stefan stared in response. "What? No hug?"

"Why are you here?" Stefan replied, his voice low and angry, "And don't lie to me." Damon sucked air through his teeth and tisked at Stefan's obvious attitude as he put his tumbler down. Sighing he moved to clasp his hands behind his back and began to pace slowly.

"Seeing as you're insistent on being a pest I suppose I should explain my arrival." Damon began, "Now I know you think that it was me following you but it's not, though that may have been an accelerant," sucking in a breath he turned to grin at Stefan, a smile so pure and sincere that it sent chills down the undead boy's spine, "I'm here for Katherine." He said and Stefan frowned. Then it clicked.

"Damon, that wasn't _her_ and she's dead."

"The doppelganger you mean?" Damon asked and Stefan fumbled, "Yes, it's a shame about her, I heard about it on the news some time ago; she was rather beautiful though I myself am biased."

"…The tomb." Stefan realised. "It's been bound for years Damon, there's no way to open it, you know that." Damon's face hardened then.

"No I don't," he snapped, "And neither do you, you know less than me…See, I'm here to get my Katherine back and all I need is _one_ thing." Stefan knew in his gut that the moment he feared had finally reared its head.

"…To kill everyone?" Stefan guessed his jaw tight with anger. Damon snickered.

"The girl?" Damon guessed, "Call it a welcome home gift; I know how fond you are of traipsing around the woods. You should know better, she should have as well."

"Touch her _again_ Damon…" The elder Salvatore laughed.

"I don't care about her," Damon interrupted, "And you'd do well to not find out the extent of my indifference to human life by provoking me with idle threats."

"Then _what_?" Stefan snapped.

"I need a Bennett witch." Damon replied easily, "I know there's one around her somewhere and I can't wait to finally meet her." He smiled then, as if a happy thought had passed through him, "Once I have _her_ where I need her and once I get everything in order I'll get my Katherine back and _then_ dear brother, you'll never have to worry about me again. I'll leave you to decide where your affections lie; the blonde or the brunette," Damon held up his hands mimicking the act of weighing the two options, "I'd suggest you go after the blonde, the other girl's blood is pure _fire_ and she'd no doubt send you off the rails again and we both know she's far prettier with her head on her shoulders." Stefan was too overcome with shock with all the new information falling through his head but all he really latched onto in that moment was Damon talking about Bonnie's blood. It broke something in him and he growled in the back of his throat. Damon cackled, full of glee at Stefan's anger, walking passed his little brother with a pat to his shoulder.

"_Don't_ touch them," Stefan turned to say, "_Any_ of them." Damon spun around and began walking backwards to the stairs.

"Stay out of my way and you have my word." With a wink he flashed upstairs and Stefan let out a breath he hadn't even known he'd held inside of him. He didn't even need to breathe; he wasn't too sure why he felt so desperate to do it now. Stefan tugged at his hair with his fingers in frustration. He needed to think of a way to fix this before it all blew apart.

* * *

_**Who doesn't love a Catch 22?**_

**Stay excellent.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes: **This is unedited, Merry Post-Christmas splendour to us all. Thank you for your _wonderful_ responses to this.

* * *

_**Dear Diary,**_

_**Tonight Bonnie almost died. As usual I ignored everyone's bitching and decided to get high. When I was about to try my hand at flirting with Vicki Donovan just one more time I heard Caroline's voice shouting something. Her voice was more hysterical than usual, and that's saying something, but it was that tone in her voice that caught my attention. And that's when I looked up and saw Bonnie. My heart missed two beats, two, I swear it, before it went crazy. I ran over to them and started yelling stuff; my eyes glued to the hole in Bonnie's neck and how wrong she looked as she just hung there, from Stefan's arms…it still makes me uncomfortable thinking about it. But I promised Elena that when I wrote in this thing I'd be honest, so I'm trying my best. And the truth is that if I lose Bonnie I'll have nothing else, no one I need and what happens then? What happens when she dies and leaves me? She always promises me that's she's not going anywhere but it wasn't until tonight that I realised she had no right to promise me that – she couldn't promise me that. Because no one has that kind of control, not me not her, not even her Grams who I'm sure could make just about anything else possible with the way she believed. But not that. Not even Grams could promise me that and it hurts. It hurts because I know it's inevitable and I don't know if I'll survive it…and then I wonder if I'm meant to survive it? I couldn't and I won't.**_

_**I guess all I can do is make sure we're all safe for as long as possible. She shouldn't have to spend her days worrying about me, she has her own life, and it shouldn't always have her watching me puke and cry about my feelings. So I'll try and be better. For Bonnie and for Elena. Because I love them and it's what they want for me.**_

_**Jeremy.**_

**Chapter Three: Better The Devil You Know**

Bonnie was digging around in her school locker when someone cleared their throat behind her. Turning she grinned as she locked eyes with Tyler who was standing there looking like he was on trial. Bonnie rolled her eyes when she realised why he looked so sheepish.

"I'm fine." She said and hugged him, "Really," she insisted when he pulled away and held onto her shoulders. Tyler Lockwood was a notorious douche but the people he cared about meant the world to him and Bonnie was one of them.

"I can't believe I wasn't there." He mumbled as she shut her locker and walked with him, "Matt and I took Vicki home and then I had to double back to get Jake and you _know_ how he is, by the time I got home –"

"Ty I'm okay, I got lucky," Bonnie said, cutting him off gently, "Care was with me and Jer too, Grams came to the hospital so I wasn't anywhere _near_ alone." He nodded but he was still brooding. She bumped his shoulder gently with hers and their eyes locked as she asked him a silent question. He nodded his head and so did she. They were both thinking about Elena in that moment. "Wanna do something after school? I know you have practice but I have cheer so maybe we could all go to the Grille afterwards? Have milkshakes and be stupid for an hour or two?" Tyler nodded.

"Yeah I'm game," he said as he nodded at a few of his classmates as he passed them before looking back to Bonnie, "I'll bring Jake too, he's driving me crazy, the boy needs some fresh air." Bonnie laughed.

"We can stick him and Jer together," she suggested and Tyler gave her a look, "Hey, if you and I can be friends then so can they, Jer's just shy and Jake loves goading him, they'll move past it eventually." Tyler looked sceptical.

"Bon, you and I are completely different to Jer and Jake; for starters, we're both hotter and before you dispute that just remember that half the favours I say yes to is because you pull that damn puppy face at me all the time." She wiggled her brows and giggled, "I very much doubt that Jeremy will have the same effect on him." Bonnie laughed at the image in her head.

"If they start throwing stuff at each other I'll put them in time out." She said as she got to the door of her first class. "See you at lunch?" He nodded and bumped his knuckles to her chin.

"See ya." He called over his shoulder and Bonnie stepped into class, immediately catching Caroline's eye and smiling. She walked over but felt someone else's gaze on her. She looked and locked eyes with Stefan and she gave him a smile too, smaller but a smile all the same. Caroline shifted awkwardly as Bonnie came to sit in the seat next to her. It had been Elena's and Caroline herself hadn't wanted to touch it but Bonnie wanted nothing more. In that it was clear how differently they mourned. Bonnie reached out and squeezed the blonde's hand before turning to the front of the class. A few minutes in she turned to Stefan and he looked over at her as well. For a few seconds they held each other's gaze, both of them trying to suss the other out, realising she may be being inappropriate Bonnie looked away in time for Mr Tanner to call her out and ask her a question she most certainly did not have the answer to. His smug face looked to Bonnie expectantly and she felt her face flush with the heat of embarrassment. Stefan's voice came in response just after Mr Tanner had admonished her for slacking off in his class. Stefan recounted a number of people that had died in some fire a few years ago and Mr Tanner disagreed, saying that the numbers were wrong. Stefan remained cool and further fleshed out his argument and then to top it all off, ended by insulting Mr Tanner's sources by calling them 'outdated' and in need of corrections. Tanner narrowed his eyes but said nothing as the kids in the class gasped, snickered and whispered among themselves. Bonnie looked at Stefan then and mouthed a 'thank you' that he returned with a slight incline of his head. Turning back to her best friend Bonnie widened her eyes and Caroline mouthed an 'I know right' and they both raised their brows but turned back to face the front of the class where Tanner was scrawling on the black board. Bonnie still felt a bit strange around Stefan but with Caroline's obviously googly eyes and him saving her ass twice now, she had to give him the benefit of the doubt. She had bigger problems anyway. Like her strange dreams and the fact that she finally figured out the word she'd been spluttering to Stefan before she passed out.

_Vampire_. The same creatures her Grams had been yammering on about for months now.

* * *

Jeremy was feeling out of sorts today. He knew it was because his aunt was in town and she wanted to see him today after school. She wanted to meet him, convince him to stay with her and that was the last thing he wanted. The last thing he needed but he was scared that all the legal bullshit was on her side and that he'd have no choice. It made him edgy and angry that she could have that power of him. Yes, it sounded childish seeing as he wasn't even leaving Mystic Falls but he _was_ moving back into his old house – another thing he didn't want. Pressing the heel of his hand into his eye he sighed heavily. He tried to remember whatever pseudo-inspirational spiel Bonnie had given him as they drove to school but he couldn't. She wanted him to at least meet his aunt but he didn't even want to entertain the idea of it because of everything he was scared it came with. Bonnie had given him her patent-pending _Mother-Look_ and he'd huffed petulantly until she hugged him.

"If she really cares about you she'll know what's best for you and she'll give that to you." Bonnie had said, "And if she doesn't she'll have _me_ to deal with." The pencil in Jeremy's hand snapped and the girl sitting next to him in class started a little at the sound. He looked up and looked at her apologetically. She shrugged and sort of smiled, going back to her books. Jeremy looked down at his book, knowing that it should have been full of equations. Instead it was covered in creatures; in angels and demons and his wiry handwriting. He didn't want to keep burdening Bonnie but he also couldn't stop relying on her. Leaning back in his chair he tried to clear his head but it didn't seem to work. He just wanted this day to end.

* * *

Damon Salvatore was a vampire on a mission. The same mission he'd had since he'd turned. Well, besides volleying between ignoring Stefan and pissing him off. His mission was simple: get Katherine back. This in turn entailed a long list of things that he needed, the most important being a Bennett witch. Ever since Emily he'd dedicated his time to cataloguing the whole lot of them. _Every_ descendent. The only one he had a snowball's chance in hell with was the only left in Mystic Falls. She had the book which meant she had the spell and she most certainly had the blood and soon they'd all have the star and then _he_ would have his mate back. And then all the misery will have been worth it. '_The ends justify the means_' he'd said, to every one of his victims, his informants, his flings, his brother too. Because in his mind it did; the moment he was reunited with Katherine Pierce, Katarina Petrova, he would leave it all behind him for her, once more. He didn't care if he never saw anyone besides her ever again; it was more than enough for him. She was more than enough, sometimes a little too much, but it made it easier still for himself to subsume his mind within the memory of her. She was so easy to get lost in and Damon adored every moment. He revelled in his love for her, in every facet of her. As it stood it was the driving force behind his entire existence – she was all there was to him. The shreds of humanity that lingered from his human years were lost in the crevices of his soul, making more room for Katherine. There was only room for Katherine. This was how he found himself outside Sheila Bennett's house, pushing out his sensors to gage a feel for the witch as she went about her mundane routine. She cooked, cleaned, chanted, chewed her thumbnail and frowned, staring off unseeingly for moments at a time as if someone terribly concerning kept occurring to her and she didn't know what to do about it. She would also peek through windows constantly and Damon smiled. She knew the time was coming and this reaffirmed hope. Sheila was the key and he didn't care what he had to do but he'd do it. He'd do whatever it took to make sure she undid the tomb spell and he got Katherine out. He'd kill the other vampires for Sheila; convince her she was safest complying with him. He didn't give a shit about the others that wanted their loved ones; he'd kill them all if they so much as threatened Sheila and he'd used that as leverage to convince her to unbind the tomb spell. And she'd do it too, no one said no to Damon Salvatore.

And if they did they died. Damon had plenty of options; Sheila was just the most convenient as it stood. He knew of Lucy and Abby and he knew how skittish and untrained they were but the comet made that argument null and void. Any Bennett became exponentially more powerful by the passing of the comet for a good three days and he'd happily use that to his advantage. And with Abby two towns over while Lucy was always a phone call away. Smirking he walked away from Sheila's house. He'd let her stew, he had to do a survey of this backwards town, make sure nothing else got in his way. Checking his watch he realised that his kid brother must be out of school, grinning he hopped into his Camaro that was parked a few houses down and sped off to the town's nearest watering hole.

* * *

Bonnie was extraordinarily uncomfortable. Jenna Sommers stared at the two teenagers in front of her for the longest time as they sat in the booth opposite her, the empty table between them a testament to everyone's sudden lack of appetite. At first Jenna was appalled, watching as Jeremy grabbed the girl's hand and clung to it, he couldn't live with his girlfriend! And he was so _young_! But then as she watched the way the girl, Bonnie, faffed over Jeremy, rubbed his shoulder and nodded every time he looked at her with a small smile on her face…she realised something. Bonnie was his sister. Like Elena had been. She looked at Bonnie then, really looked, her eyes narrowing as she pursed her lips. No one had said a word as yet since their introductions were made. Jeremy had all but thrown a fit when Jenna asked for some privacy, saying through clenched teeth that he would leave if she wouldn't let Bonnie stay. So Jenna had pressed her mouth into a smile and sat them down.

"He's living with you?" Jenna asked suddenly, her eyes still on Bonnie.

"Yes, me and my dad." Bonnie purposely left out the fact that her father had about as much use as monopoly money but she didn't want anything getting in the way of Jeremy living with her.

"And you," Jenna sucked in a breath, "You were friends with Elena?" Bonnie nodded.

"I practically grew up with the Gilberts, Miranda and Grayson were my family too, just like Jeremy." She squeezed the boy's hand again, noticing him tense in her periphery. Jenna nodded, chewing her lip.

"I'd like to meet your father." Jenna said, tapping her nails on the table, "I understand that Jeremy doesn't want to move out, never mind move back into his old house but I do have a responsibility to him, to make sure he's safe." Bonnie nodded, "And if we're going to make your dad's guardianship permanent then I'll have to make sure that Jeremy is in the best possible care and I'll need to discuss the matters with your father personally." Bonnie's heart skipped a beat. Jeremy's head snapped up.

"You'd do that?" The boy gasped. Jenna looked at him then and the smile she sent his way broke both Bonnie's and Jeremy's hearts. She reached over the table and put her hand over Bonnie's hand as it held his.

"Jeremy you're my _family_," she said, "I want whatever is best for you and Liz told me before I got here, how close you all were and it makes sense now that I can see it with my own eyes." She blinked away a tear and sighed, "I'll be the first to admit how nervous I was when I realised someone would have to take care of you and legally I know that responsibility falls to me but I can never replace your family…I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm not about to get between you and the family you still have left. I could never do that, I guess all I can ask is that you'll still visit me, when you're ready. I have moved here permanently, I started work today actually so I'm not going anywhere but I'm here to help you not to hurt you." Jeremy looked like he was going to pass out from relief and then he became sombre.

"Thank you." Bonnie said her eyes wide and glistening and Jenna nodded. "This means the world to him and I don't think either of us ever considered how incredible you could be, how incredible you _are_." Jeremy swallowed.

"Thank you," he said, seriously, "I was so scared, but, I mean you're so nice and I didn't even think about the kind of person you'd be I was so worried you'd just try and tell me what to do." Jenna giggled a little.

"Luckily for you I'm the furthest thing." Jenna assured him with a wide smile that Jeremy returned tentatively. She patted his hand and moved away. Digging in her purse she pulled out a corner of paper and scribbled something on it, handing it to Bonnie with a nod. "This is my number, have your father call me sometime this week, whenever he can so the two of us can meet." Bonnie nodded, immediately putting the page away safely. Jenna sighed and stood to her feet. "I'll leave you two to it," she said sweetly, "Call me whenever you want to Jeremy, okay?"

"Okay." The boy said, standing to his feet as well. He and Bonnie moved out of the booth. "I'll walk you out." Jeremy said and Bonnie smiled, Grams drilling his manners into him was finally paying off. Bonnie watched them walk away but then her ears picked up the obnoxious sounds of the Lockwood brothers laughing. She turned to see them mucking around at a nearby pool table. Rolling her eyes she made her way to them, bumping Caroline's hip as she passed her; the girl was happily trapped in a conversation with Stefan.

"How'd it go?" Tyler asked around a mouthful of French fry. Bonnie nodded and exhaled as she stood next to him.

"Good," she said, "Surprisingly good, Jenna's pretty amazing actually." Tyler made a sound of approval and indifference in the back of his throat. "But he's still staying with me so that's even better." He grinned then, he was happy for them.

"That's great Bon," he said cheerfully, as he took another shot and sank another ball, "Almost as great as this _ass-kicking_ I'm giving my little brother." Jacob scoffed loudly as he stood on the other end of the pool table with a cue in his hand.

"You sank two balls Ty," Jake said, "I'm not surprised that you find that impressive considering its two _more_ than you yourself happen to have." Bonnie chuckled as she moved over to ruffle Jacob's hair. He was a year younger than Tyler and he gave him hell every day. They both had onyx eyes, tanned skin, short tempers and brilliant smiles that they always used to their advantage.

"You get feistier every time I see you." Bonnie appraised him and he fluttered his long eyelashes at her while he beamed. "You're catching up to Tyler quickly." She winked and he rolled his eyes while his older brother laughed.

"You're just saying that 'cause he was your first kiss." Jacob accused and Bonnie laughed.

"And you're just jealous 'cause you wish I was yours." Bonnie said with a sly smirk and snickered as his skin warmed. She leaned over the table and high-fived Tyler. Turning she was about to call Caroline and Stefan over when she saw Stefan turn and lock eyes with a man walking towards him. Bonnie's voice disappeared somewhere in her throat – he was possibly the single most perfect human she'd ever seen. His eyes slipped from Stefan's gaze to hers and her heart stuttered and he smirked before looking back to Stefan. He stopped between Caroline and Stefan, looking the girl up and down with an air of superiority before turning to Stefan. Bonnie took a step or two towards them, which is why she heard the man's next few words with aching clarity. And also why something very dreadful flooded her memory.

"Hello brother." The dark haired man said with a grin and Bonnie felt her chest contract. She knew that voice and she knew those eyes and she suddenly had a _very_ big problem.

* * *

**Stay excellent.**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Dear Diary,**_

_**Today I decided that I like Stefan Salvatore. I know that mourning for as long as I have and considering all the things that should be important to me hold more weight than the attention of a boy, but…he's just so beautiful. And smart, he's really smart – not the kind of smart that's pretentious or haughty or anything, but the kind of smart that makes you think, you know? I met him when I was at Elena's locker, making sure the flowers were fresh and that no one had touched the photographs, even though I had printed spares anyway. Since then we've spoken a few times; at the party in the woods, classes, in between classes and I'm seeing him after school at the Grille today. Jeremy's meeting his aunt today so we all want to be there, in the background at least, for support. Ever since the animal attack I've been trying to reign in the want to steal my mom's cuffs and hook me and Bonnie together. I know she hates being smothered but now all I'm doing is worrying about her. With her dad never really being there (he doesn't even know she almost died that's how long he's been gone this time) and this whole thing with Jeremy's aunt…She's going through a lot and I don't know how to help her. But Stefan said the most profound thing to me when I was fretting about it, he said:**_

"_**Love her. That's all she needs. Isn't that all anyone needs? To know they're loved?" and I was like, yes. Yes that is all anyone needs – see how smart he is? It's like he's some old wise man trapped in a hot body. So I'm going to love Bonnie, as best as I can and I'm going to keep supporting her and reassuring her, because that's what you do when you love someone. Now that that's figured out I'll have to focus my efforts on figuring out how to handle a crush of this magnitude. Wish me luck.**_

_**Caroline.**_

**Chapter Four: A Kiss With A Fist**

Bonnie's skin broke out in goose bumps and she felt light headed but she had more important things to worry about. Like the fact that she was gaping at a cold blooded killer. A vampire. And her best friend was standing near him, oh god, no, not Caroline…As she moved to walk forward Jeremy collided with her and caught her when she almost went flying backwards.

"Jer," she gasped, standing upright, her eyes flicking between his face and Caroline's, "Get us a booth and some menus, I'm gonna see who else wants to have an early dinner here, okay?"

"Sure, yeah." With that he was off and she went on with her mission. She walked right up to Caroline, wedging herself between Stefan and her sister. Stefan's face flashed to hers and a panicked expression crossed his features like lightning, there and gone, like she'd imagined it.

"Care, you sticking around for dinner with me and Jer?" Bonnie asked, making sure to keep her voice calm and light, it worked; Caroline looked at her and nodded smiling brightly.

"Sounds good, before we go though, you should meet someone." Bonnie sucked in a breath as Caroline turned her to face the man she'd been avoiding. "This is Damon Salvatore," Caroline said sweetly, "its Stefan's brother." Bonnie wanted to scream, she knew she should greet him or smile but she was frozen. "Damon this is –"

"_Bonnie_," Stefan cut Caroline off, "She goes to school with me." Damon grinned at the green eyed girl and crossed his arms as he smirked down at her, enjoying the way she was squirming. He was under the assumption that she found him attractive, which although it wasn't entirely unfounded couldn't be farther from the real reason. Bonnie curled her closed mouth into a smile and then looked at Stefan with a similar expression.

"It's uh, nice to meet you," Bonnie said, with a curt nod and then she looked back at Stefan, "See you at school." The younger brother nodded while Damon's eyes stayed glued to her face. Stefan locked eyes with Caroline, giving her a disarming smile that made her eyelashes flutter as she scrambled to return it before the two girls walked away. As they did they both heard Damon speak.

"My, my, my there must be something in the water here. They're beautiful." Caroline couldn't help but blush as she and Bonnie made their way to the booth. Bonnie almost sagged with relief as she settled into the booth next her brother. But it was a small victory getting Caroline away from them, it wasn't going to last very long and Bonnie needed more weapons in her arsenal than babbling awkwardness. She needed to speak to her Grams. In the meantime –

"Who wants to share a pizza?" she asked as she opened a menu, laughing when the Lockwood brothers clamoured into the booth as well, Tyler taking the menu out of Caroline's hands making her call out in annoyance. Bonnie looked around the table and over at where Matt was serving another booth of customers. These people were her family and she protected her family, no matter what. It was the '_what_' that had her out of her depths. Before Damon had attacked her she thought her Grams had a mental problem and now she was quickly realising that instead of ignoring her grandmother's ramblings, she should have been taking notes.

"I'm not sharing pizza with you," Jake said as he sat next to her, "I'm still mad at you." Grinning Bonnie leaned over to him and kissed him quickly on the cheek laughing when he broke out into a grin.

"Better now?" she asked playfully and he nodded triumphantly.

"_Much_."

* * *

"What the hell are you even _doing_ here?" Stefan snapped as they walked to a booth far away from the group of teenagers, Stefan hoping the early dinner rush would sound out any and all parts of their conversation so that Damon wouldn't learn who Bonnie was. Stefan had to make sure he never found out.

"I'm here to acclimate brother," Damon said easily as he slid into the empty booth, "I am staying her for a month at least so I may as well get acquainted."

'No, you may as well find a _crypt_ to fall into until you leave because I'm not letting you toy with anyone when you inevitably get bored." Damon grinned.

"This does resemble a playground doesn't it?" Damon observed, amusement riddling every facet of him, "…_Bonnie_, I like her, she's lovely, prettier with the lights on, and not many can say that." Stefan's hands clenched, the action not going unnoticed by his brother. "What is with your obsession with protecting her? You're really clinging to it," Damon mused, "Is it because you're trying to convince herself that if you see this possession over her as protection that you won't give into your feelings and that way you can have them both? Is that it? If so I daresay I'm impressed." Stefan wanted to smack Damon but decided that if that was what Damon thought then he'd let him. It was a small price to pay to keep him away from Bonnie. And it would also help him get to the bottom of why Damon even needed a Bennett to get his Katherine back in the first place. He had a lot of catching up to do. In the meantime, he needed to distract Damon.

"You said you'd leave her alone." Stefan snapped. Damon chortled unapologetically.

"Yes, but I didn't say that she'd leave _me_ alone." Damon pointed out with a dark gleam in his otherwise brilliant eyes. Stefan's chest constricted.

"Compel her and I _break_ you." Stefan hissed lowly, his words barely discernable through the growl in his voice. Damon waved away the waitress that had sought them out before locking eyes with his brother. Damon leaned back, deciding that now was a good a time as any to ruin something else of Stefan's.

"I'll do one better," Damon said, the wickedness pouring out of every available surface of his, "You want to irritate me, then I irritate _you_. It's simple really." Stefan grew wary instantly.

"…Whatever you're thinking, _don't_."

"Idle threats Steffie," Damon half sang, "And it's nothing but a kiss." Stefan's eyebrows flew heavenward.

"A _kiss_?" He spluttered, "What part of 'leave her alone' is escaping you?" Damon giggled, _actually_ giggled.

"Not me silly," Damon said, leaning forward then to lock eyes with Stefan, "_You_." Stefan frowned and then it dawned on him. And his immediate reaction was to say no. It was to say that he happened to be rather fond of Caroline, with her quirks and vibrant imagination. That he didn't think of Bonnie that way, not really. That kissing Bonnie would ruin anything he may have had with her best friend. Instead he sucked in a breath because at the end of the day, kissing Bonnie and losing Caroline meant that they'd both be safe and that's all that Stefan wanted. And Damon knew that. The _bastard_.

"You're sick you know that? There is nothing you could stand to gain from this." Stefan replied as coolly as possible. Damon pursed his lips.

"I beg to differ, I happen to find your discomfiture and possible demise rather amusing."

"You would you piece of shit." Damon tisked at that.

"No need for name calling, besides you're dawdling." Stefan frowned.

"You want me to kiss her _now_?" He hissed incredulously and Damon nodded, the Cheshire smile wide and glittering.

"Kiss her and I never lay a hand on her again." Stefan knew that that promise would be tossed out of the window the second he learned Bonnie's last name, but if buying time was his only option then he'd take it. Stefan nodded and Damon clapped his hands together, rubbing the palms excitedly. "Make it a good one too; I want her to slap you for it." Damon stood to his feet, "Come on then." Stefan rose to his feet and made his way to Bonnie Bennett.

* * *

"Wait, shut up, they're coming over." Caroline rapped her hand against Tyler's chest excitedly, interrupting his story. Everyone in the booth turned to watch as the Salvatore brother's approached the booth, everyone except Bonnie, she was still fiddling with the corner of her pizza, looking to Jeremy who was staring over her head curiously at Stefan and Damon. She was about to make an excuse to leave when Stefan spoke.

"Bonnie, could I talk to you?" Her head snapped to his face and she felt the attention shift, now moving between her and the younger brother. She looked at him, confused but his expression was so earnest and imploring that she found herself nodding, mindlessly, tapping Jake's shoulder as she made to move past him so that she could stand. As she got her feet she tried to smile to ward off the ever increasing tension among them all when Damon spoke.

"Caroline was it? Could I speak with you?" Now the mood dipped into one of territorialism, the boys in the booth uneasy. Caroline nodded, putting her drink down and moving out of the booth as well. Damon grinned then, "No need to look so grave boys, we'll have your girls back in no time." Bonnie wanted to kick him in the face. She didn't know what they were playing at but she'd make them regret thinking she was nothing but a little game. But she smiled and Tyler, Jake and her brother, nodding reassuringly. "I just need to make sure my little brother is in good hands." With that he winked at Stefan whose face was eerily blank. Damon curled Caroline's arm in the crook of his elbow and patted her forearm, "After all the girl who grabs my brother's attention deserves a fresh soda and a quick once-over from his older brother." Bonnie and Stefan watched in horror as Caroline's face lit up; she was officially putty in his hands. Bonnie didn't want her best friend alone with a vampire and Stefan didn't like where Damon was taking things.

"Can we go outside for a second?" Stefan asked, gaining Bonnie's attention and after it flicked over to Caroline and Damon who were headed to the bar where Matt was she nodded. She had some things to say to him as well. The most important of them all being to leave her and her family the _hell_ alone. Stefan lead her out the door and out into the setting sun and he looked so pained when she looked up at him that for a moment she faltered in her impending tirade. They moved a little ways away to avoid being in anyone's way and to put some distance between them and the tables outside.

"Stefan I need to say something –"

"Me too," he cut her off, "Look, I know that I pretty much fell out of the sky and that you have no reason whatsoever to trust me but right now I _need_ you to Bonnie, I really _really_ need you to." She frowned at his words, her fingers playing with the strap on the brace on her wrist.

"Your brother –"

"I'm working on it," Stefan cut her off again, he seemed impatient and edgy, "If it were up to me he wouldn't even _be_ here right now." That prodded at Bonnie's curiosity. Stefan must know then, what his brother is – _obviously_ he did… he must be trying to get rid of him as much as Bonnie was and she dared to let a sense of relief flood her. The same expression flooded over Stefan's face when he saw her relax. Bonnie nodded.

"What do you want?" She asked and then Stefan averted his eyes, like this was the actual part he was dreading. "…_Stefan_?" She took a step or two forward, about to reach out to him but he jerked away. She pulled her hand back, her worry increasing. "Did Damon _do_ something? Whatever it is, I think, I think I can help you, if not me then my Grams, I mean –" If Stefan was in trouble she could try and help him.

"Bonnie," he said her name like it had gotten stuck in his throat, "I know you won't forgive me but I need you to remember that no matter what it seems like, that I'm doing this to fix it, okay? Believe that." Bonnie was about to reach out to him again, assure him that whatever it was couldn't be that bad, even though his brother was a vampire who tried to kill her, they could figure something out when he was on top of her in the next moment. Kissing her.

At first she was frozen stiff. She hadn't been kissed in so long that the entire act felt so alien to her. And then a traitorous part of her curled into the sensation. Then alarm flooded her as their mouths moved together when Caroline's face flooded her mind's eye. With that she jerked back and without thinking used her injured hand to punch him. Three things happened then. Stefan heard her re-fracture her wrist and he wanted to kill Damon in that moment. Caroline gasped as she stood beside Damon and lastly, Bonnie cried out in pain.

"…Bonnie?"

"Stefan what the _hell_?"

"Bonnie are you okay?" Bonnie smacked Stefan's hands away from her and locked eyes with her best friend who was on the verge of tears.

"Caroline," Bonnie began walking towards her but the blonde backed away, shaking her head as tears fell, "Care, _listen_ –"

"_No_ Bonnie." The girl snapped and ran to her car, her tyres screeching against the asphalt as she sped home. Bonnie's head fell down and she let her heart hurt for a few seconds. Then she looked up and glared at the brothers who seemed to be waiting for her to do or say something.

"I don't know what the _hell_ you two think you're playing at," Bonnie said, her green eyes seeming to glow as she all but snarled at them, "But I'm not taking part in any of it." Damon snickered. People began to stare at the three of them, wondering what would happen next.

"Your use has run its course _anyway_ honey, time for you to bow out gracefully." Before Stefan could speak Bonnie was in Damon's face, ignoring the pain shooting up her right arm as she cradled it.

"You'd better watch yourself Damon," Bonnie hissed, "I don't take kindly to be tossed around like someone's plaything and you've done that _twice_ now. I'd watch my back if I were you." She watched his eyes harden and could have sworn they'd begun to change colour when Stefan pulled him away from her.

"You _promised_ Damon." Stefan said, trying to reign in his own want to transform to his vampiric state and just fly Bonnie off to a different state. Damon shrugged out of his hold, his eyes still on Bonnie.

"_You_ better watch yourself little girl." Damon snapped, "We wouldn't want a repeat of the first night we met to happen again, _would_ we?" and then swiftly turned to leave. Bonnie watched him go, her face seething – he wasn't even _denying_ it. She looked to Stefan then.

"_You_," she called brusquely, "You're driving my brother home and me to the hospital and the second Jeremy's out of the car you and I are having a long talk. You got that?" Stefan fumbled for a moment but nodded. She left him no choice but to follow her back into the restaurant. "Come on kiddo, we're leaving," she said as she approached the booth, Jeremy nodded as he stood up, he'd already gotten their food into takeaway boxes. "Bill settled?" he nodded and she returned the motion, swooping in to kiss both Tyler and Jacob's heads, taking her things and heading out.

Bonnie had kept up a good front until Jeremy closed the front door, she'd spun him some story about going to see Caroline, which she knew she had to do in actuality. The minute he closed the front door behind him she let the pain run to the forefront of her acknowledgement and she let out a muffled cry as she covered her mouth and tried to cradled her injured arm on her lap. Stefan started the engine again and sped off to the hospital but then something else occurred to him.

"Bonnie I can fix your wrist." He said, carefully and he felt her cut her eyes to him. Even in his periphery he could see the tears in her eyes and that's when he slammed on the brakes and curved off of the road into park. He could fix _this_ at the very least.

"Stefan I need a _hospital_." Bonnie choked out and he nodded.

"My brother," Stefan began, "He's, he's –"

"The one who attacked me in the woods?" Bonnie provided, locking her eyes on Stefan's angrily, "I _know_ that."

"Then you know what he is." Stefan said seriously and she nodded again. "…Then you know what _I_ am." It took a moment but Bonnie's eyes bulged and then she loud out a piercing scream.

* * *

**A/N: Stefan needs to be honest with Bonnie if he's going to be able to protect her from Damon, they're on the same side and he knows that so he has to keep her safe while also figuring out why his brother needs a Bennett. In the meantime, Sheila's getting ready for battle and a very serious talk with her granddaughter. Review and let me know what you think! XO**

**Stay excellent**


	5. Chapter 5

**Note: **Update anybody? It is unedited and rather lovely, but don't take my word for it XO

* * *

_**Dear Diary, **_

_**My best friend died today. My sister. My stand in mother and father too. One minute they were there and the next minute we were burying them. It's weird because I still hear her voice sometimes, her laugh; it'll blow through my thoughts and distract me. I just got home from the funeral and I'm still expecting her to walk into my room and drop ungracefully on my bed and groan about her math homework, or something Matt said or a fight she and Jeremy had had. I don't wanna go to bed, if I go to bed that means that today's ending, which means that it actually happened. Then tomorrow will come and it'll be the first step to moving on and I'm not ready for that. I need her back. I need Elena. How am I supposed to help Jeremy? How am I supposed to go to class, look at our photos, and find stray items of her clothes in my room without losing my mind? But I know that I'll use these same things to help me hold onto her, the memory of her. I'll have to go to her house soon, fetch Jeremy's things, he hasn't said a word since he crawled up into a ball on my bed and I won't hold that against him. My dad is so far out of his depth he's had to ask Liz to step in. I told her to give Jeremy time, to give me time as well. I don't know how much, but more than a day would be nice before people start expecting things from us. **_

_**Jeremy's aunt was at the funeral. She's moving here and Liz said she has legal precedence over Jeremy but my dad can have temporary guardianship until she officially moves into town. I don't think it's quite hit home with Jeremy yet; any of it for that matter. I want to mourn, more than anything I want to be miserable but the memory of Elena, though it hurts to recall is the same thing that'll keep me going. Elena always saw the best in everything and everyone and I'll be taking a page out of her book. But not today, no. Today I'm going to curl up beside Jeremy and cry. Because it's been the worst day of my life since my mother left.**_

_**Bonnie.**_

**Chapter Five: And Lightning Strikes**

Bonnie was on the brink of asphyxiating herself; her breathing shallow and rushed, as a full blown panic set in. Her eyes were wide and her face was lined with tears, her mouth trembling as she muttered 'no, no, no. no' over and over again. Stefan held his hands out to her in a show of peace but he _had_ also just put on the central locking leaving her with no way to escape.

"Bonnie, the last thing I want to do is hurt you," he swore, "In any way." She cried out in horror when he reached for her. "Just trust me, okay?" He leaned a little closer and by now Bonnie was shaking, she thought she was moments from dying, the searing pain in her wrist all but forgotten in the sudden turn of events. All her bravery and adrenaline from her earlier encounter with Damon had long fled her system, now she was running on reserve. Minimal fight and maximum hysteria. Stefan held her functioning arm, holding her in place. She watched as Stefan raised his own wrist to his mouth and bit down, she herself blubbering as she watched blood spurt into view. "_Drink_." He ordered softly and Bonnie inched away but his hold on her uninjured arm was strong and he moved the bleeding wound to her mouth. "Bonnie, _trust_ me." Operating under the assumption that she was having a horrifying nightmare Bonnie opened her mouth, slightly, gagging when the coppery liquid pooled on and under her tongue. Swallowing she jerked away from him and he let her. He averted his eyes for a few minutes and Bonnie began to feel an odd tingling in her wrist. As if sensing her concern, his hands flew out and then oh so gently inspected her wrist. She watched as he pulled off the Velcro contraption, gingerly held her thin wrist, balancing the weight of it with the tips of his fingers. She didn't feel an ounce of pain, or even discomfort for that matter. "How does it feel?" he asked, making sure to keep his head down and his eyes on the rapid decrease in the swelling of the limb. Bonnie watched his face and his hands, watched how he was handling her and she couldn't help but find it jarring with everything she'd associated with a vampire. In theory at least.

"Better than it did before I first broke it." Bonnie said, her voice low, a stark contrast to her earlier screaming. "So vampire blood is magic then?" He lifted and dropped his shoulders before slowly letting go of her wrist. Bonnie tested it out tentatively, first wiggling her fingers, then turning it side to side and finally rotating the wrist itself. Everything was perfect. "Why did Damon attack me?" she asked, pressing her lips together as she turned to face Stefan who looked like he didn't know if he should turn to her or start the car. He turned to her and sighed.

"In a way that was my fault," Stefan admitted, "My brother likes getting a rise out of me."

"By _attacking_ people?" Bonnie asked, her tone sharp.

"Sometimes, other times he kills them, taunts me, hunts me down himself…"Stefan's eyes grew distant, "He's very creative when it comes to disrupting my life."

"You said you didn't want him here, did he follow you?"

"Yes and no," Stefan answered, "Which reminds me, he can't know what your last name is. _Ever_." Bonnie frowned.

"And why is that exactly?" Stefan grimaced.

"I don't have every detail of it but it doesn't bode well for you, for any Bennett actually." Bonnie's heart stilled.

"My Grams! –"

"Bonnie, I can help," Stefan said, trying to pacify her, "I'm already working on figuring out what it is that he wants from Bennetts and then I'll do whatever it is I need to make sure nothing bad happens. Not to you, your friends or your family." Bonnie frowned at him for the longest time.

"Is that why you kissed me?" She asked, "Damon obviously likes taunting you and he seems partial to tormenting _me_ so he must have threatened me or someone else to get you to kiss me and ruin what you have with Caroline." Stefan didn't say anything, "Which means that you must like her so in a way I'm glad that you care about her." He sort of smiled at that.

"Bonnie, has your Grams ever spoken about witchcraft?" Bonnie's eyes bulged. Slowly she began to nod and Stefan's face paled. Katherine. Tomb. Bennett witch. This was not looking good and he still had no idea what he was looking _at_.

"…What?" Bonnie pressed as she watched Stefan's forehead become lined and his thick brows press together as he processed everything.

"You need to talk to your Grams about everything, something's about to go horribly wrong and if we don't know what it is we won't be able to stop it."

"We?" Bonnie queried and Stefan nodded, all business-like.

"**We**," he echoed, "My brother started this so I feel responsible; besides, I came here to start over, not to repeat every mistake I've ever made with him. It ends here, so help me Bonnie, it ends _here_." Bonnie became pensive. "And _we_ because you're a witch, or soon will be and from my experience as a vampire, there's always a bounty on your head."

"Thanks." Bonnie muttered and he pressed his lips together in a half smile.

"We could figure this out together Bonnie, you don't have to hate me or be scared of me. You're the one who can set me on fire, if anyone's about to get hurt here it's _me_."

"I could do that?" Bonnie gasped and he nodded.

"Emily could." She frowned at him then, "She's your ancestor, she didn't like Damon very much either."

"I like her already." Bonnie joked. Stefan hummed in agreement.

"I should probably take you home," he said starting her car, "Look about Caroline –"

"I'll smooth things over, but it's going to take a while for you to get back in her good graces."

"As long as I do I suppose I'll have to endure it." Bonnie couldn't help when she ran her eyes over him then, he was admittedly fascinating. And kind, with a horrible hero complex perpetuated to the point of insanity by his brother. He was a conundrum and, though the idea of what he was still made her break out into goose bumps, he had no reason to help her – at all. Yet all he'd done since he met her _was_ help her, save her, be good to her. She didn't flat out trust him by any means, but …she wasn't about to use him for target practice when she finally committed some of the chants in Gram's spell books to memory. She had so much to wrap her head around but if Damon was real, and she'd seen the holes in her neck as proof that he was, then her Grams' ramblings should be too. There was only one way to find out. When Stefan pulled up outside her house again he killed the engine and flashed to her side of the car and helped her out though she didn't really need it, handing her keys back to her as well. She smiled up at him a little awkwardly, they had kissed after all.

"Thanks for driving me home." He nodded. "And for the…" she waved her wrist around, she'd put the Velcro cover back on it to thwart suspicion for now. He nodded again. "Should we like, exchange numbers or something?" He frowned, "To keep in contact about your whole _brother scenario_."

"Oh, right. Of course." He laughed a little at himself, wondering why his mind had wandered in the other direction. They exchanged phones, keying in their details before returning the devices. "Look, maybe not tell anyone about me and Damon?" He asked and Bonnie nodded, it wasn't her secret to tell and she was about to open her mouth to tell him not to say anything about what she could be when he spoke again, "Your secret's safe with me too." He said with a here and gone smile and she nodded her head gratefully, "See you at school."

"See you." He walked around her then and she turned to face him, "Are you…Stefan are you _walking_ home?" He spun around then, walking backwards as he replied.

"Well as soon as it's just me on the streets I fully intend to _run_." Her mouth fell into a silent 'oh'. He nodded and smiled, turning back around and walked off into the night while her eyes followed him.

* * *

"_Hi this is Elena, I'm not here at the moment_ –" there was a noise in the background and laughter broke out, "_But my ridiculous friends are here interrupting my voicemail so_ –" Jeremy winced as he listened to Caroline, Bonnie and Elena laughing, "_Leave a message after the beep!_" he hung up and tossed his phone aside. He was trying to stop calling her phone, but sometimes he just wanted to hear her voice, hold onto whatever he still had of her, and not just her memory. He jumped a little when he heard Bonnie's door open and close across the hall and he stood up. He knew no matter what mood she was in they could always talk so he swept into her room unannounced and dropped onto her bed while she shuffled around in her walk in closet. Matt had told him something before they'd left the Grille and he wanted answers.

"…Did you kiss Stefan?" He called out and he began shaking his head when he heard her movements cease, "Bon that's really _weird_ of you –"

"Look. I can't talk about that right now." Bonnie huffed as she stepped out of the closet, pulling a clean t shirt on, a flash of her flat stomach coming and going, not even registering to Jeremy as he frowned up at her while she fluffed out her hair. "I have to go to Grams." He nodded.

"I'll come with you." She chewed her bottom lip but relented, she knew he hated being alone at night.

"Fine as long as you don't pester me about the whole Stefan thing." She held out her pinkie and he rolled his eyes. "…for _now_ at least." She raised a brow and he exhaled dramatically. Curling his pinkie in hers he nodded.

"Fine, but when you tell me you're not leaving anything out." She pulled a face. "Not about the kiss you perve," Jeremy chastised her, "I know you, that probably isn't even the actual problem."

"I hate that you know me so well." She groaned and he grinned.

"You _love_ it." He teased as he followed her out. "Hey do you think Grams would make more of those blueberry muffins?"

* * *

Stefan needed more information and try as Damon might to deny his younger brother at every available opportunity, it didn't take more than some sly prodding to get what he needed. Stefan was sure of two things: One, Damon was scouting out Bonnie's grandmother's house; Damon was dedicated and thorough, he was lining everything up and he would be meticulous about it. Two, Bonnie was no doubt on her way to her Grams' house right now so Stefan had to make sure that Damon was as far away as possible.

"Evening Stefano," Damon sang as Stefan stepped into the living room, his frown in place. "How's Bonnie doing? She packs quite the punch by the looks of it," Damon snickered, "Maybe you should _thank_ me, she's far more intriguing than the blonde. That Caroline is as shallow as I am, nowhere near as pretty with little to sense between her ears." Stefan's eyes bleed into a bright crimson colour and veins undulated under his eyes.

"Say that again, I _dare_ you."

"Still weighing your options I see," Damon goaded, "Kissing _Bonnie_, making love-me eyes at _Caroline_, this is the most we've had in common in a while dear brother."

"They're not _toys_ Damon!" Stefan yelled. "This isn't a _game_! I came here to start over, to actually live a life of my _own_. I'm sick of all of it, I'm sick of you _ruining_ _everything_ for me!" Stefan prowled forward. "Those girls, their friends, their families, I fully intend to have them become a part of my life and I'll kill you if you try and stop that." Damon's eyes bugged with amusement as he ran them over his little brother.

"So _this_ is what you as a man looks like," Damon chortled, "I hardly recognise you with your big boy pants on." With a loud roar Stefan launched himself at Damon, hoping Bonnie's visit with her grandmother was worth the beating he was about to receive.

* * *

"_Grams_!" Jeremy said cheerfully, his arms wide as his smile as Sheila opened the door. The older woman laughed heartily, bringing the boy into a warm embrace, patting his cheek once they separated. She looked over to her granddaughter with a wink and a squeeze of Bonnie's hand.

"I made muffins," Sheila announced and Jeremy gave Bonnie an I-told-you grin which made her roll her eyes, "Blueberry."

"Oh man, I'm either psychic or you are," Jeremy said as they all stepped inside, "Either way, I'm about to stuff my face."

"Save some for your sister would you?" Grams said with a tisk and Jeremy nodded his head making a 'yeah, yeah' motion with his hands as he disappeared into the kitchen. Sheila's eyes glittered with affection as she watched him walk away. "He looks a lot better since the hospital." Bonnie nodded as she hugged her grandmother.

"He's doing okay, especially since we had a talk with his aunt earlier."

"Oh? Should I put the kettle on?" Bonnie nodded as she flounced onto the couch. Sheila patted the top of the armchair Bonnie was in and walked off to do just that.

* * *

Jeremy was scrounging through old texts of Witchcraft in Salem on a pile of pillows in the corner of the living room with a plate of snacks next to him while Bonnie relayed everything that had happened with Jenna. Sheila was both relieved and on edge. If Rudy screwed this up she might have to smack some sense into him herself; he needed to be more available to his daughter, to _Jeremy_, who for all intents and purposes was now his son.

"Rudy should be home on Wednesday, make sure he calls Jenna the minute he walks into the house, you know that man is as flighty as he is frigid." Sheila tisked, "I'd tell him myself but he never listens to me, hasn't in years." Bonnie sighed but agreed.

"I've sent him a message already but I'm going to call tomorrow before we leave for school, I'm not budging on this, I've never asked him for anything, but I won't take no for an answer when it comes to this." Bonnie said and her eyes flickered to Jeremy who was luckily lost in the world of whatever he was reading. "Jeremy means too much." Sheila nodded, patting Bonnie's hands.

"Bonnie I know that right now this is the last thing on your mind, but I need to talk to you about –"

"Witchcraft?" Bonnie interrupted gently, a nervous smile on her face, "That's actually the real reason I'm here," waving off the look of apprehension on Sheila's face Bonnie went on, "I'm not going to fight you on it or ask you to stop talking to me about it, in fact, I want to know more." Sheila moved back a little as surprise settled in. "I know that whatever attacked me in the woods wasn't an 'animal', and," the girl took in a deep breath aware that Jeremy's eyes were on her now as well, "I know I should have told you this but that night I had this dream –" Sheila held up a hand and stood to her feet.

"I have to fetch something before you continue; it's time you learned about your family, the _real_ truth about your family." Bonnie watched her go then turned to look at her little brother who's frown was so deeply etched into his forehead that it made him look so much older in that moment.

"Bonnie what's going on?" She waved him over and he was next to her in seconds. She took his hand and tried to smile.

"I don't really know but I promise you that nothing's going to happen to you, okay?" He scoffed.

"_Whatever_, this isn't about me, what do you mean it wasn't an animal, the police said –"

"I know, but it's not what happened. Just, wait 'til Grams comes back down then maybe it will all make sense." He gripped her hand a little tighter and she smiled. "We're going to be fine." She said, because no matter what, she'd make sure that they all would be.

* * *

**Thoughts?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Note: **Unedited. This story is really growing on me. Hope you enjoy it XO

* * *

_**Dear Diary,**_

_**Today will be different. For too long now have a lived a life without substance; where my only goal was survival. But that is not living, that is no life to be proud of. I want friends, a semblance of family; I want something new to call my own. I realise that there are parts of myself that I cannot change, memories that will never fade, truths that will never stop haunting me. But I refuse to let these things define me, define my future. I want to begin again, but this about more than redemption or 'rebirth'. This, returning to Mystic Falls where it all began, it's like coming full circle. A last ditch effort to come to terms with everything before this moment so that I can finally move forward. The people here are profoundly more liberal than their predecessors but even so my true nature must remain a secret. Even so, I will not hide who I am from the world anymore, I will open up myself to what life brings me; love, adventure, hope. As far as 'what' I am, it is better that no one knows…**_

_**I am more than a vampire, more than a brother, or an orphan. I am more than a monster and I believe that this is the first step to proving that to myself. It is my first day at school and I'd like nothing more than to acclimate to this new life before me. Zach has taken me in, and I can see myself living this out; this life, this peace, until I must leave again. But until then, I shall revel in this lapse of horror. I will make this place my home once more and I daresay I feel stirrings of hope just thinking about the opportunity. It has been so long since I've felt this that it's unbalanced me somewhat, in the best possible way. But as always there is a sense of foreboding that lingers around me and just this once, I would like for it to leave me alone, but if that is all that remains of my past then I shall gladly take it.**_

_**Stefan.**_

**Chapter Six: Down the Rabbit Hole**

"Wait, wait, wait," Jeremy said suddenly waving his hands in front of himself as he looked between Bonnie and Sheila, "Are you saying that not only is Bonnie a witch, but you are too and the thing that attacked Bonnie in the woods was a _vampire_?" his face was a mixture of horror and disbelief, "And on top of all of that there's this comet coming that's going to make her crazy strong and vampires are going to hunt her down because of it?" Sheila shook her head. She wasn't going to let that last part happen.

"I'm resealing the cloaking spell on her; no one will know her true nature unless the spell itself is undone." Sheila explained, "Vampires have keen senses, in fact all supernaturals do, they can _feel_ one another, almost like reading someone's 'aura' if you will. Cloaking it is the only way most witches are able to lead normal lives."

"Cloaking." Jeremy echoed. "Did you cloak yourself too?" Bonnie's head snapped to her Grams then, wanting the answer to that as well. Sheila sighed and looked down, Bonnie frowned and leaned forwards.

"Grams," her voice was pleading, "Grams do the cloaking spell." Sheila shook her head in the negative. She forewent explaining a cloaking spell had to be done _to_ you, you couldn't do it to yourself, it was just how it worked, besides, Sheila wasn't a runner.

"Someone has to end this Bonnie," the elder witch replied, "For too long have the Bennetts been in hiding because of this whole mess. Lucy fled, your mother stopped practicing, rendering her powers useless, my mother died hiding the book that has the tomb's unbinding spell in it …for too long have we suffered. It ends with me, and I'd appreciate you respecting my decision." Bonnie went from trepidation to incredulity in a split second.

"…Are you _insane_?" Jeremy half yelled before Bonnie could form a sentence but the girl raised her brows to echo his sentiment. "If what you're saying is true then a whole horde of these vampires are coming to town for _you_, …_Grams_," he practically wailed, "You can't expect us to just stand there and do nothing." Bonnie shook her head, trying to arrange her thoughts. She agreed with Jeremy to a point, but she also wasn't about to let himself get involved with vampires. The only reason she was still alive was because Damon had a point to prove to Stefan – she'd been a pawn in some game of his and it made her sick. Because she knew that human life meant nothing to him, she'd seen it in his eyes and she didn't want him to hurt anyone. Not her Grams or Jeremy, not Caroline or Matt, not the Lockwood boys, hell, not even Mr Tanner asshole that he was.

"I can't let you do that." Bonnie said her face hard and Sheila patted her cheek with a distracted affection as she looked away from the children's faces.

"Bonnie, I'm not giving you a choice," Sheila said after a moment, "They won't stop hunting the Bennetts down and this comet is just the beginning, there are four more in the next three years, I'm not letting you shoulder any of that responsibility on your own. This tomb-spell has haunted our family for generations and that's why I'm not running from it. This is me protecting my family Bonnie dear, this is me protecting you and Jeremy, your mother, your cousins, everyone with our blood. It's the only way. And it's only a _spell_ baby; it'll be over in a matter of moments." Bonnie shook her head.

"I don't believe you," Bonnie said, "There's more to it, there has to be a reason no one wants to cast the spell." There was, but Sheila wasn't about to divulge that piece of information.

"No," Sheila said her confident tone almost tricking herself into believing her words, "Unfortunately too many of the Bennett women have cowered in fear from the spell, you have to understand, being one of, if not _the_ most powerful bloodline has it's burdens. Vampires have been manipulating and using us for centuries. And that's no life to live. This comet, I'm going to use it to cast two spells. The tomb isn't even my main concern; it's only the danger that comes with it that has me at my wit's end." Bonnie swallowed and leaned back a little, letting the weight of the couch underneath her cushion the blow of all of this information. "I know it's a lot," Sheila went on, "But," she slapped her hands lightly on the tops of her thighs her tone suddenly more upbeat, "It's after ten and it's a school night. I suggest you two head home and get some sleep. We'll talk more next time, and," she stood up and the other two followed her lead, "Don't forget to hassle your father about meeting with Miss Sommers, we don't need anything more to worry about as it is." Bonnie and Jeremy nodded both suddenly very quiet and introspective. "Don't forget these." Sheila said, handing a basket of home-baked goodies to Jeremy who smiled softly as she kissed his cheek, doing the same for Bonnie she led them out and waved them off with a heavy heart. She'd given Bonnie her first grimoire as well and she hoped that she wouldn't regret that. She had so much on her plate and now was not the time to falter or fumble. Stepping back into her home she went straight up to her attic and began to assemble everything she'd need. If push came to shove she'd unbind the tomb-spell but what she was really focused on was realigning the Bennett legacy and she knew the perfect spell for that.

* * *

When Bonnie and Jeremy got home, they made their way upstairs and lingered in the hallway between their doors.

"Shower time for you and then I want you snoring within the hour." Bonnie instructed as she lifted the grimoire higher up as she clutched it. Jeremy rolled his eyes but saluted her and made for the bathroom. She slipped into her room and clicked the door shut, heading straight for her bed and sat in the centre of it with her legs crossed. She opened the book slowly, flipping the pages of all the rudimentary spells that would help ease her into her powers. Levitation spells, animation spells, kinetic spells, _beginner's_ stuff. Bonnie snickered a little, wondering how any of this was normal. Since Damon attacked her in the woods her whole life got flipped upside down and though she knew he had nothing to do with her heritage, she couldn't help but see him as a catalyst for all of it. She kept flipping through the book, reading excerpts of other Bennett's commentary, small scribbles in the margins about the after effects of the spells, how they could go wrong, etc. It was all very thorough. She knew the book was only step one of witchcraft in the greater scheme of things but she had to start somewhere, especially if she was going to help her Grams in any way she could. She would dedicate as much of herself to mastering all of this as soon as possible. She wouldn't just stand on the side lines; not if it meant her Grams had to bear the brunt of it and not if it had _anything_ to do with Damon Salvatore. The man was trouble and she'd be damned if he got the better of her again.

Her eyes settled on a levitation spell and she tilted her head. Running her forefinger over the text of the spell and the diagrams beside it something stirred inside of her. A small voice cleared its throat and spoke up: _you can do this_. So, without thinking really she turned and grabbed one of her pillows and tore if open, sprinkling the feathers all around her and on her lap. The spell said to clear your mind and focus on the object you wished to lift and manipulate. Once total focus was achieved, only one word needed to be uttered in Latin and it meant 'rise':

_Surge_

She pronounced it with what she assumed to be an inflection of the appropriate accent as she let her recently healed hand hover over the pile of feathers. Her eyes widened as one began to lift up, slowly, shakily, but rising all the same. A breathy laugh escaped her and she let her other had hover over the feathers as well, repeating the word. When Jeremy walked into her room, his hair still dripping from his shower his jaw dropped. Bonnie was sitting lotus style in the middle of her bed and a wall of feathers was swirling around her, dancing in the air and her smile was radiant.

"…Whoa." He muttered as he walked forward a little and she started laughing and he was grinning too.

"Yeah," Bonnie replied as she watched the feathers move and twirl, "_Whoa_."

* * *

Bonnie was so caught up in the recent developments post-Stefan kiss that she had completely forgotten about the kiss itself as well as Caroline's feelings. Wanting nothing more than to kick herself in the face when her eyes met Caroline's cold one's Bonnie's step faltered as she remembered why Caroline was sneering at her. Before she could say anything the blonde flicked her hair over her shoulder and sashayed away into the school building. Bonnie knew Caroline was trying to act aloof but she also knew that Caroline was hurting. What she didn't know was how she was going to fix it. Sighing, she waved Jeremy off and made her way to her locker muttering about idiot boys and their homicidal brothers. Not looking where she was walking she slammed into a chest that gave a solid wall a run for its money. Speak of the devil –

"_Stefan_ hey." She muttered as he caught her before she went flying backwards. Setting her upright he immediately let her go, sticking his hands into his jean pockets.

"Bonnie." His response was sombre. "Did you talk to your grandmother?" She nodded as she held his gaze; he seemed more frowny than usual. Not that she had much knowledge of what his usual was but she could imagine that having Damon as a brother was taking its toll.

"Are you okay?" She asked and be blinked a few times. Sure he looked whole now but after his fight with Damon he'd all but depleted the woodland creature population. He just hoped it was worth it.

"Fine," was his curt response, "Can we meet up during lunch or after school? We should talk." She lifted the strap of her messenger bag as she chewed her lip. She knew she should, that putting an end to this whole tomb scenario was more important than a tiff with her best friend but she needed to talk to Caroline first.

"Can we do after school, I have to fix things with Caroline and I don't think sitting with you at lunch is going to help things."

"Sure," Stefan looked over his shoulder, locking eyes with Tyler and Matt who were making their way over, "I'll see you in class."

"…Sure." She replied belatedly as he'd already made his way away from her.

"Bonnie Bennett," Tyler called out as he and Matt reached her, "You sneaky snakey."

"If you're referring to kiss that missed, I assure you, you don't know what you're talking about." Bonnie informed them, giving them both pointed looks, "Seriously, it's bad enough that Caroline's ignoring me I don't think I could handle you guys being mad at me too."

"We're not mad," Matt replied, "Just…confused."

"Curious is a better word for it." Tyler added on, "I mean, it's not like you at all." Matt hummed in agreement.

"He's right," Matt said, "And he'd know because it's more like _him_." Tyler's nodding was comical. Bonnie half laughed half sighed as she walked with them.

"Did she say anything?" She looked between the boys as they walked on either side of her.

"Not to me." Tyler replied as he bumped fists with a fellow football player.

"She may have said a few things." Matt admitted, avoiding her gaze.

"Is it that bad?" Bonnie wondered and Matt threw his arm around her shoulder while Tyler winked at a brunette before turning his gaze back to Bonnie who looked like she might get sick or kick something.

"Well it's not _good_." Matt replied and Tyler rolled his eyes.

"I really don't see the big deal," Tyler said, "Matt said he saw you pull away and punch the kid in the face, I think it's safe to say that you weren't into it. Then again," Tyler said locking eyes with Bonnie, "Maybe _that's_ why Care's upset. Because if you weren't into it and he was, it hurts more for her or something, I don't know."

"I think that actually makes sense." Matt said after a beat and Bonnie groaned. She didn't like emotional politics and she'd never gotten in the way of a boy before. "Our Bonnie's turning into quite the heartbreaker."

"Am _not_." Bonnie gasped and they boys laughed. "You guys suck." She muttered petulantly.

"You love us." Tyler grinned and Matt laughed at her pained expression. "See you at lunch."

"Maybe," Bonnie said, "If I survive the _Care-Pocalypse_."

* * *

"Caroline!" Bonnie called out, having to jog to catch up with the blonde who was speed walking and weaving through the throng of students like a pro. "Caroline, could you slow down you know how short my legs are!"

"Bonnie, I don't want to hear it." Caroline snapped and Bonnie picked up her pace to overtake her friend and step in front of her.

"I _need_ you to hear it, give me five minutes, come on, _please_?" Caroline narrowed her eyes.

"You have two."

"I'm _sorry_," Bonnie said knowing it's what she should start with, "I know you like him and despite what you saw yesterday he likes you too. What he, we, did was wrong and I know it hurt you and you know that I'd never _ever_ want you hurting, _ever_ and I want to fix it I just –"

"See you say that," Caroline interrupted, "You say that you never want to hurt me and you say that you're sorry but you don't say why you guys kissed." Bonnie sucked in a breath. "Bonnie, _why_ did you kiss him?"

"He kissed _me_," Caroline huffed and made to step around Bonnie but was intercepted with Bonnie's pleading eyes, "Caroline I don't know what happened okay, I don't know how to explain it. I wish it _didn't_ happen, it's not even worth it. Hurting you is _never_ worth it. I love you, you're my best friend."

"Yeah well you're mine too but that doesn't mean I forgive you because you bat your eyelashes at me."

"_Care_ –"

"You're time's up." With that Caroline moved around her and disappeared into the crowded hallway while Bonnie's head hung low as she walked off in the other direction.

* * *

Bonnie was leaning against her car texting her father while she waited for Jeremy to finish being weird with his friends when Stefan walked over. Looking up Bonnie immediately tensed, her eyes darting around looking for Caroline.

"She just left." Stefan said, as if he could read her mind, "I barely said two words to her before she rolled her eyes and half-ran to her car." Bonnie pursed her lips as she stood upright, craning her neck a little to look at him properly. "I'm really sorry…I know she's your best friend, and it seems so trivial, a kiss you know, but if I didn't –"

"Then I would probably be lying in a ditch somewhere, I get it." Bonnie said tiredly. "I hardly know your brother and I'm already leaning towards hatred."

"It gets worse over time, believe me." Stefan muttered.

"Over time huh?" Bonnie mused, "How old are you anyway?"

"_Old_." Stefan breathed.

"A hundred?" She pressed.

"Something like that." He said with a half-smile. Jeremy jogged over, coming to stand at the space between the two of them, he frowned as he looked at Stefan and then his eyes widened a little when they held Bonnie's.

"What's going on?" Jeremy asked, trying and failing to keep his tone light, especially since his eyes were narrowed as he looked Stefan over.

"Stefan's coming over." Bonnie announced her faux cheer as transparent as glass.

"…Is that so?" Jeremy murmured, his suspicion at an all-time high. Stefan shrugged while Bonnie nodded.

"Get in the car Jeremy." Bonnie said sternly.

"Right after you Bon-Bon." Jeremy's smile was sharp. Huffing Bonnie opened her door and got in, Jeremy following suit. She rolled down her window.

"See you at my house then?" She asked as she looked up at Stefan.

"See you there." He walked off to his Porsche. Clicking her seatbelt in place she finally gave in and turned to Jeremy who was burning holes into the side of her face.

"_What_?" She griped. Jeremy stared at her drolly.

"First you two kiss and now he's coming _over_?" Jeremy listed, "When exactly are you going to tell me what's going on here?"

"The minute I know I'll tell you."

"What does Care have to say about this?" She didn't miss the accusation in his tone.

"I wouldn't know she isn't talking to me." Bonnie muttered as she pulled out of the parking lot. Nodding, Jeremy turned to look out the window.

"I wonder why."

* * *

**A/N: **So slowly the truth is coming out but all the players are moving around one another, the missing pieces keeping them from really knowing what they're up against. Grams doesn't know it was Damon. Damon doesn't know about Bonnie. Caroline doesn't know about _anything_ and Bonnie just wants to keep everyone safe. Will Bonnie and Stefan be able to form an alliance and will Caroline forgive them for the kiss? And what else does Damon have planned and what other spell does Sheila have hidden up her sleeve? Hmm. Stay tuned!


	7. Chapter 7

**Note: **TA-DA! *jazz-hands*

* * *

_**Dear Diary,**_

_**I cast my first spell today. A few minutes ago actually. I floated a pillow's worth of feathers and almost gave Jeremy a heart attack. He loves it though, maybe even a little more than I do. He's always been fascinated by Grams and her books so I guess it makes sense that he wouldn't be weirded out by it. I'm weirded out by it though. I never thought that I'd be different, I know a lot of people have always craved it, the individuality of it all but I've just wanted normal. For me normal was the best thing that life had to offer, familiarity and peace. Instead of that I have these powers and a vampire tried to kill me and his brother keeps saving me. I have Caroline ignoring my texts because I kissed the first boys she's liked since her dad left her and her life fell apart. I have Elena gone when all I want right now is to hug her and have her tell me that everything's going to be okay. I have Grams taking on an influx of vampires because of some blood/star thing that's been whittling away at the Bennett line for years and years. I have all this and my homework. **_

_**I know that I shouldn't hold onto the past and I know that I should have faith in the future. But it's a little hard when your most recent kiss wasn't fuelled by the guy finding you attractive, but rather the fact that it would help to keep you alive. It's hard to keep your head on straight when you realise that sometimes the monsters in your dreams aren't what you should be afraid of. See, dreams you can wake up from but there are real monsters out there. Mundane-looking people that can drain you dry. And then there are monsters that try and guard you from other monsters. And that's what's confusing me the most. The fact that not even all the monsters are the same, it makes me uneasy because how am I meant to know what's good and what's bad? How do I even know I can trust Stefan at all? **_

_**All I know is that I can't be powerless to it all, to the confusion. I need to be ready, for what, I don't know. But I need to be strong. For Jeremy, my Grams and myself and everyone else. I won't let anyone take advantage of my family. They're all I have.**_

_**Bonnie.**_

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Fight Fire with Fire**

"Jer go inside for a minute." Bonnie said, her eyes on Stefan. Muttering under his breath her brother did as he was told and clicked the door shut behind him. She chewed on her bottom lip and crossed her arms. "I know I have to _invite_ you in." She said after a moment or two, her voice low because she knew Jeremy was eavesdropping. Stefan nodded. "I want to trust you but, everything inside of me is screaming at me not to."

"It's not in your nature to trust me." Stefan said, not sounding offended in the slightest, "And I wouldn't blame you either way."

"I know there's very little I could do right now to protect myself but that's not what I care about," she stepped closer and dropped her voice even lower, "This is Jeremy's home too and my dad's, I can't put them in the line of fire."

"You won't be," Stefan said back, his voice equally low but softer yet, "I want you to trust me, I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. I _can_ keep you safe."

"I'm trying to believe you I swear," Bonnie said, raking frustrated hands through her curls, "It's just that if anything happens to them I'll never forgive myself."

"We could sit outside?" Stefan offered, tilting his head hopefully. "I won't push you." Bonnie's eyes softened and she nodded her head, grateful.

"Thank you," she said and they walked over to the chairs arranged on the far end of the porch, "You were right by the way, about the whole Damon-spell thing."

"What is it about?"

"A Bennett witch is the only one that can undo the tomb-spell and there's a comet passing over town in a few weeks that gives off this power to the bloodline making them, us, stronger. We've been hunted down for years because of it. Because of the spell Emily cast."

"So that's Damon's plan then, to get Katherine back." Stefan surmised. Bonnie's brows lifted.

"Who's Katherine?" He froze and this had her attention immediately.

"She's the one who made him and I what we are before she got locked in the tomb." Bonnie nodded.

"Did you want to become …"

"A vampire? No, I don't think many people do, but when I woke up needing to complete the transition I convinced Damon to do it with me. I thought we'd be brothers for eternity…instead we've been enemies for the last hundred and fifty years." Bonnie whistled lowly.

"You _are_ old." She mused. "So what then? Katherine turned you against your will?" Stefan winced.

"Most of the things she did to me were against my will," he said, "She compelled me."

"Compelled?" Bonnie echoed.

"It's a way vampires control humans."

"_Charming_."

"Bonnie I have to tell you something."

"…Okay?"

"Katherine, she's," he exhaled sharply and rubbed his hands over his face, "She's a doppelgänger."

"A _what_?"

"A _doppelgänger_," he said again, "It's this genetic anomaly where someone's exact likeness takes the shape of one of their descendants." A frown crinkled Bonnie's forehead.

"Who does she look like?" The girl wondered. Stefan swallowed.

"She uh, she looks like…she looks like Elena." Bonnie's heart dropped.

"Ho – how do you know about Elena?" She stammered, her green eyes shining. This was another level of impossible.

"Caroline told me about her, I also saw her locker on my first day at school it was actually how she and I met." Bonnie waved him off, her heart was pounding. Her entire face had gotten suddenly warm, flashes of her strange dreams distorting her vision, but she could see Stefan's face through her rapid blinking and he was worried.

"I can't," Bonnie swallowed and her tongue stuck to her pallet, "I can't see her, oh my god Jeremy can _never_ see her, it'll _kill_ him –" she sucked in a sharp breath. How was it even **possible? **Her wide eyes locked on him, hoping he would say something to reassure her; _anything_.

"She won't get near you," Stefan interrupted, "I _won't_ let that happen… You think _Damon's_ bad?" His eyes bulged as he leaned back a little as if the blow of her memory moved him, "Katherine is worse. Katherine's the reason Damon is the way he is, she's, she's a monster." Bonnie's gaze slowed as it examined his expression in the moment he said that last word. She thought she knew what monsters were. What angels and demons were. She thought she'd know the difference when they stood in front of her. But then she saw Damon, who looked like an angel, realising seconds later that he was the creature that almost killed her. And _now_? Now she finds out that someone who looks like her best friend, someone who made Stefan what he is, is a monster too? "Bonnie?" She felt her world tilt and Stefan's hands steadied her as she slumped a little.

"I think I'm going into shock." Bonnie whispered as she leaned into him, she wasn't physically aware of herself; her brain was currently trying to merge Elena's smiling face with Damon's snarling one as he loomed over her in the forest. Her stomach heaved. "I might get sick."

"Should I call Jeremy?" Stefan asked, frantic. Bonnie shook her head and took deep breaths.

"No, he doesn't need to see me like this, or know the reasons behind it." Bonnie blinked a few times and stood up to her feet, wanting to move around, move herself out of her impending hysteria. "I need to breathe for a second." Stefan stood to his feet but gave her her space. Five minutes passed until her heartbeat evened out.

"Bonnie I'm sorry this is happening." Stefan said, sounding sincere. She leaned forward on the railing that framed the porch and looked out into the street, her eyes distant and unseeing.

"Well from what I gathered from my Grams is that Damon would have come anyway, to get Katherine, so as much as I'd love to blame you, or anyone else along with your brother I suppose that you helping me is the better option." He walked slowly to her and stood beside her, following her gaze now as she watched to kids' race each other down the clear street.

"All I wanted was normal." Stefan said softly, "Instead –"

"You got everything but." Bonnie finished for him and he nodded, looking down at her. For the shortest moment they both found themselves thinking about the kiss, and just as quickly they both brushed the memory away and averted their eyes. "You should come inside," Bonnie said, "I'm sure Jeremy wants to throw a thousand questions at you and I have to start on dinner, so…"

"You're sure?"

"I said the words didn't I?"

* * *

Jeremy was leaning against the kitchen counter, his eyes trained on Stefan as he stood with his arms crossed. He was fifteen years old, staring down a hundred and fifty year old vampire, looking like he wanted to start a fight. Stefan didn't waver under his gaze, but his expression was more compliant, more pleasant. Bonnie ignored them both as she put the finishing touches on a tray of lasagne before popping it into the oven.

"Why did you kiss my sister?" Jeremy blurted and the utensils Bonnie had carried to the kitchen sink to rinse fell out of her hands, clanging loudly on the metal bottom. She spun around and gaped at Jeremy who didn't even flinch. Stefan's eyes moved to Bonnie then back to Jeremy. "I mean, since you've been here you and Caroline have been, I don't know, there was this _vibe_ and the next thing I'm told you and Bonnie are making out outside of the Grille for the world to see." His jaw clenched. "I just want to know why."

"Jer –" He held a hand up to Bonnie.

"Not you Bon," Jeremy interrupted, "_Him_."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Stefan said. Jeremy stepped forward.

"_Try_ me."

* * *

"I just don't get it anymore," Caroline said with a sigh as she sat at the bar, twirling a straw in her milkshake as she avoided Matt's concerned expression, "I mean. I get why Stefan could like Bonnie, who wouldn't you know? But Bonnie's never been that girl. She knew I liked him and I never once thought she'd –"

"Because she never _would_." Matt said pointedly and Caroline huffed.

"But she _did_." Caroline countered and Matt shrugged.

"You're right Care, Bonnie's never been that girl and you should have seen how miserable she was all day today, Tyler could hardly get her to _smile_." Matt leaned forward a little more from his side of the bar dropping the cloth he was using to clean it, "All I'm saying is that you and Bonnie have too much between the two of you to let some boy you have a crush on to, to just ruin it all you know?" Caroline pressed her mouth together and her face crinkled with a teary smile and she nodded.

"I know…I also just miss her so damn much." Laughing Matt picked up the cloth and waved it at her.

"Then pick up the next time she calls okay?" He raised his brows and walked off to tend to his tables. Caroline sighed again and looked down at her half-finished drink.

"Penny for your thoughts?" A male voice asked and she looked up to see Stefan's brother. Caroline had to blink away her initial responses to his appearance and formed a polite smile instead of a blush.

"Hey Damon." She said softly, gesturing for him to sit next to her and he grinned, doing just that. "How are you?"

"A lot better than _you_ I think," he said with a teasing tone, "I'm not sighing into a milkshake wishing it had all the answers in the world." Caroline rolled her eyes.

"Well I have a lot on my mind," she said and he didn't look surprised, "Your brother is a lot more complex than I thought." Damon snorted at that, flagging the bar tender down and ordering a tumbler half filled with bourbon and ice.

"Stefan isn't _complex_," he countered, "He likes to think that he is but he's not. At the end of the day he's just a seventeen year old kid who sees the best in every one and wants to be loved. Simple as that." Caroline frowned a little.

"But that's _me_," she said, "That's exactly me and I thought, I thought he saw that in me but then the next thing I know –"

"He's kissing your friend?" Damon offered and she sucked in a sharp breath and nodded while he sipped at his drink.

"My _best_ friend Damon." Caroline corrected and Damon winced.

"…_Harsh_." Damon muttered. Caroline shook her head, her curls bouncing around her face as her hair settled back down.

"But it doesn't matter," Caroline said, "When it comes to Bonnie everything else isn't important in comparison you know? She means more than some boy," she cut her eyes to him then, "No offense, I know he's your brother and all, but if he likes Bonnie then he likes Bonnie. As long as me and her are okay I guess everything else will just have to do." She finished her milkshake and stood up. "Sorry I dropped all that on you I'm sure you have better things to do than play Agony Aunt to a girl you don't even know." Collecting her purse and her jacket she smiled at him. "See you around Damon." Damon let her walk out of the store as he finished his drink. Dropping a few notes on the bar he stood up and followed her out. She was turning out to be an ever bigger disappointment than he thought and he knew _just_ the way to fix that.

* * *

"_What_?!"

"Jeremy, calm down."

"I _am_ calm Bonnie!"

"No, you're the opposite of calm right now –"

"It's his _brother_, his brother is the one who tried to _kill_ you and you _knew_ and you _lied_ to me _and_ Grams and all you can say right now is '_calm_ _down'_?!"

"Jeremy, please understand –" Stefan tried to intercede but the boy was livid.

"Shut _up_," Jeremy yelled, "Before I find something to stake you with!"

"Jeremy!" Bonnie gasped.

"_No_ Bonnie, what the hell!" Jeremy's arms flew outward and his face was red. "What's going on?"

"_I don't know_!" She yelled back, "And that's why I need you to stop yelling right now, it's really not helping."

"I don't know what else to do!" Jeremy snapped.

"Neither do we." Stefan said seriously, his voice considerably lower than Jeremy and Bonnie's.

"You invited him into the _house_ Bonnie? A _vampire_, into the _house_!"

"You can trust me –" Stefan began.

"He's the one who's been saving my ass at _every_ turn Jer." Bonnie pointed out.

"Is anyone even listeni –" Stefan was cut off again.

"I don't care if he suddenly sprouts _wings_," Jeremy hissed, his hands splayed out in a sarcastic representation of what he meant, "The last time I checked vampires had little to no regard for witches so excuse _the shit outta me_ if I'm not pulling out my pom-poms and cheering him on right now!"

"Jeremy just for five seconds, _shut up_ and cooperate." Bonnie's voice was flat and annoyed.

"Is that why he kissed you? One of his brother's little games?" Jeremy sneered at Stefan, "Is that it? _Hmm_? Because mauling her in the woods wasn't enough? Now he's after Grams too? I'll kill him myself!"

"That's not smart." Stefan said, crossing his arms, "I suggest you nip that stroke of genius in the bud before it gets you killed."

"So what then? We stand around while he parades around town like it's a freaking candy store?" Jeremy growled.

"_No_," Bonnie said her voice begging him to understand, "We're thinking of a plan, we need to be smart about this if we're going to help Grams, minimise the damage Damon wants to cause and keep everyone safe. It's our best bet."

"I still want to kill him." Jeremy muttered, suddenly deflated.

"Me too kiddo, me too." Bonnie said, patting his shoulder, her attention drifting to her messenger bag when her phone rang. Answering immediately when she saw who it was her eyes lit up as she spoke.

"Care, I'm so glad you ca –" The voice on the other end made the sound of a buzzer, effectively cutting her off.

"This isn't Caroline." The person replied, Bonnie frowned, gasping when Stefan grabbed the phone out of her hand.

"Damon what have you done?" Stefan snarled into the receiver and Bonnie's heart rate tripled.

"Well, well, well, just as well I decided to take the blonde for myself you seem to have made a choice all by yourself."

"You _promised_ Damon." Stefan said.

"I do that sometimes," Damon said his tone light and conversational, "I also lie. A _lot_. You should know that by now."

"Where is she?"

"At home."

"Where are _you_?"

"With her."

"You're dead." Stefan hung up, thrust the phone at Bonnie and sped to the door, the witch doing her best to run and catch up with him as he swung the door open.

"Where are you going?"

"Caroline's house."

"You know where that is?" Bonnie huffed as she jogged to keep up with his determined stride as he made his way to his car.

"I don't." Stefan admitted, his eyes bulging when Bonnie opened the door to the passenger side.

"I can get into the house." Bonnie said.

"This doesn't fall in line with the 'keeping you safe' plan." Stefan said as he eyed her over the hood of the car. She shrugged jerkily, her adrenaline building.

"This isn't about me this is about Caroline." Bonnie said as she got into the car, "Drive." She ordered and Stefan looked back to the house as he heard Jeremy banging on the front door, yelling.

"Did you…"

"Seal him in there?" Bonnie asked, her eyes staring straight ahead as she clicked her seatbelt on, "Yes I did. Let's _go_."

* * *

Bonnie burst into the house calling for Caroline while Stefan yelled after her, something about her not following their plan. She didn't care about plans she cared about Caroline.

"_Caroline_!" Bonnie yelled. "Caroline, where are you?"

"Quit shouting sheesh," Caroline moaned as she stepped into the hallway causing Bonnie to spin around and sag with relief. Running up to the blonde, not caring that they were fighting Bonnie pulled her into a rib-crushing hug and exhaled long and hard.

"I'm so so so sorry." Bonnie mumbled, tears welling up in her eyes, "I can't tell you how sorry I am." Caroline shoved her away and Bonnie stumbled backwards a little, her heart wrenching in her chest. "Care?"

"Why are you _here_ Bonnie?" Caroline snapped. "I told you your time was up, I don't want to hear about it anymore."

"But… I mean, I know I hurt you –"

"_Yes_," Caroline bit out through clenched teeth, "You and Stefan hurt me and I know he's just a boy but isn't that how it always starts huh?" Bonnie's eyelashes fluttered as she tried to comprehend her friend's harsh demeanour, "Remember Matt and Elena? How much I liked him before they started dating? How I told you and Elena and she just smiled and sat there and fell in love with him anyway? I don't know why I even bother –"

"Caroline how you can you say that?" Bonnie interjected, "Elena…I mean, we were younger then –"

"Elena's _dead_ Bonnie, you can stop defending her now." Caroline hissed. Bonnie's mouth fell open and all the adrenaline whooshed out of her, she felt like Caroline's words had winded her somehow.

"You don't mean that…" Bonnie whispered, her face twisted in pain. She barely recognised Caroline with the way the girl's face was curled into an angry scowl. It was so unlike her.

"I want you to leave."

"_Caroline_ –"

"_Get out_, Bonnie." Bonnie fumbled over her feet and her breath as she wiped at her face. Taking one last look at Caroline, Bonnie walked out and past Stefan as he stood outside waiting for her. She could hear him calling to her but she didn't reply, she just kept walking down the driveway. Stefan could smell that Damon's scent was fading around the property so he followed after Bonnie who was sobbing in earnest now as she leant against the car with her head in her hands.

"He compelled her, you know that right?" Stefan said as he came to stand in front of her. Bonnie hiccupped as another sob escaped her before she looked up. Stefan's chest tightened at the sight of her.

"Do you think that makes it hurt me any less?" Stefan clenched his jaw and he sighed heavily. As he watched Bonnie's green glittering eyes hardened even as they tears kept falling. She was moving from helplessness to recklessness and he swore he saw a spark flicker in the emerald of her eyes. "If it's a fight he wants," Bonnie said her voice hard and her chin jutting out, "Then that's _exactly_ what he's getting."

* * *

**Thoughts?**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Dear Diary,**_

_**I don't know how else to phrase this so I'll keep it simple. Bonnie, my best friend, my older sister, the last shred of family I have left is a witch. Vampires are real and Grams might be in really big trouble. To make matters worse I'm still the same snivelling kid I was yesterday. Nothing about me has changed, which means I have little to nothing to offer to help her out at all. If anything, just breathing I'm putting her at a disadvantage because she worries about me. Like she worries about everyone but herself. Except when Bonnie worries, shit gets done. When I worry I usually light up a joint and write in this thing about it, like now. But in my defence she locked me in here. Not with keys mind you, her magic. I have a feeling this is going to happen a lot in the future and it's grating at me.**_

_**I was in her room just now, and as usual I walked to her window where the pile of Elena's journals are stacked. If you didn't know Elena's journals you'd think they were plain old books but Bonnie, Caroline and I knew better. I opened one this time and ran my eyes over Elena's handwriting, not really reading anything, but just, you know, looking. It felt weird so I shut the book and now I'm here, waiting for Bonnie to come back. If anything has happened to her or Caroline I'll kill Stefan myself. I don't even care about the repercussions. I'll kill him without blinking, I may even smile. Shoot, the front door just opened and I only just remembered that Bonnie had put lasagne in the oven for dinner. It's probably burned to a crisp by now. Oh well.**_

_**Jeremy.**_

**Chapter Eight: Not Waving but Drowning**

Bonnie hadn't said a word to anyone when she got home from Caroline's. She didn't answer her phone, she didn't even reply to Jeremy's requests to sleep in her room. She'd just flipped the side of her bedding open and turned the other way. The next morning her father came home and he made arrangements to meet Jenna, tried to coax a response out of Bonnie with gifts he'd brought back with him. When she blinked in response and excused herself from breakfast Rudy turned to Jeremy with a question mark on his forehead.

"I think it's a chick thing?" Jeremy provided feebly, shrugging for emphasis. He was sure it was vampire-related but he wasn't about to tell Rudy that. Nodding, Mr Hopkins had a half smile on his face when he spoke.

"Don't think I forgot about you either son," Rudy said, putting a big brown bag on the kitchen counter between them. Jeremy eyed it with open curiosity. "I hope you're still drawing or I've really lost my touch." Chuckling as he sipped on his coffee Jeremy nodded.

"I still draw yeah." Jeremy said, "Why?"

"Art supplies from Italy." Rudy shrugged nonchalantly and Jeremy choked on the sip he'd just taken.

"_What_?" The boy gasped as he blinked, edging forward a little with each breath wanting to peak into the bag but also trying to stay cool. Rudy nodded.

"I got the normal stuff I think, one of the suppliers said it was really good quality –"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." Jeremy said, grinning like a crazy person, "Seriously, thank you." Grabbing onto the bag but not looking at it yet his eyes locked with Rudy, "And thank you for meeting with Jenna, I know with everything that happened that the last thing you need on your plate is another moody kid –" Rudy chuckled and waved Jeremy off.

"Jeremy, we've been one family since before you were _born_. Grayson was like a brother to me and the way I see it you becoming my son legally is nothing but a formality, I think we're lucky that Miss Sommers has been so understanding. It could have turned out a lot differently." Jeremy nodded. "Tell Bonnie I'm going to the station to see Liz, we have some catching up to do…" He half turned before speaking again, "And we're all having dinner here tonight, Grams as well so I expect your fringe out of your eyes and your appetite at the ready. I've missed my family."

"Yes sir." Was the instantaneous response. Rudy grinned, saluting the boy before he walked out into the morning. Jeremy looked at the clock and groaned. They were going to be late for school. "Bonnie!" He yelled, peeking into the bag with awe on his face, when she came downstairs the gift was forgotten when they locked eyes. "Gonna tell me what happened at Caroline's?"

"Nope. Are you gonna let it go?"

"Unlikely." Jeremy admitted. "But it's not to piss you off, I'm worried, you don't look okay."

"I'm not," Bonnie said, "What did dad get you?"

"Art supplies from Italy." She looked fleetingly impressed, "And I'm pretty sure he bought you half a bookstore." She smiled softly then. "We're all doing dinner tonight."

"…Yay," Bonnie muttered, "And he left to see _Liz_, which means _Caroline's_ coming…this is going to be great." Jeremy rubbed the back of his neck, at a loss for words. He didn't know what did or didn't happen between the two girls so he wasn't quite sure how to respond. "But," Bonnie went on, "Dad's meeting Jenna and that's all that matters. Come on let's go before I change my mind and subject you to a day of movies and ice cream."

"I would subject myself _willingly_." Jeremy said with conviction, "You know me, I hate school."

"Yes but if I can see myself through it then so can you, come on."

* * *

Bonnie was humming along to '_Midnight_ _City_' by M83 as she drove and Jeremy rattled off fun-facts about the witches in Salem when a crow slammed into the windscreen of her Prius. Curling off the road and pulling into park she immediately looked to Jeremy.

"You okay?" She asked, slipping off her seatbelt and leaning towards him. He'd paled considerably and gripped his shoulder. "Jer?"

"Fine, yeah," The boy replied curtly, "I guess I can't let my life grind to a halt every time you swerve too sharply or whatever." Bonnie frowned.

"Jeremy you can react however you want to, you don't have to be tough for me, it won't make me worry any less about you." He ruffled his hair, moving it out of his eyes.

"I'm okay." He said, looking at her and nodding, "Promise."

"Okay." Bonnie said, slipping her seatbelt back on and starting the engine. They pulled into the parking lot as the bell rang. When Bonnie blinked again it was lunchtime, she was fiddling with the strap still on her wrist, her bones long healed but she knew it would look odd considering how bad the fracture had been. But now she wore it more as a reminder of Damon, not that he didn't occupy the majority of her thoughts in any case. You'd think she was infatuated with him by the amount of times his name crossed her thoughts; but she wasn't yearning, she was _seething_ and plotting his downfall. He'd plucked the last straw with the stunt he pulled with Caroline the night before and she was weighing her options as she stared down unseeingly at her food in the cafeteria.

"Mind if I join you?" Stefan asked as he stood opposite her at the otherwise empty table. Bonnie didn't even look up as she nodded. "How are you feeling?"

"_Angry_." Bonnie picked at imaginary lint on her cardigan. " And disappointed in myself."

"Why?" Stefan sounded somewhat appalled. Her eyes locked on him then.

"Because a part of me kissed you back and I _know_ that's what she saw." Bonnie's eyes were sad. "I shouldn't have kissed you back; I should have just gone straight to hitting you in the face." Stefan swallowed. "You at least have an _excuse_," Bonnie went on, looking away again, "I didn't, _don't_…I just _stood_ there, _kissing_ you, like Caroline didn't matter."

"_Bonnie_," Stefan's tone reminded her a little of her father then, the way he said her name, "It was only a kiss. You're attractive, _I'm_ attractive," He gave her a look daring her to deny it, "On a physical level everything makes sense, and _yes_ I may like Caroline and _yes_ she's your best friend but at the end of the day I'm a vampire who can't offer her anything any way. I think this is good actually, her not getting attached to me, me distancing myself from her, besides, we have more important things to worry about…like this spell and what it means if your Grams unbinds it." Bonnie perked up instantly.

"What? Why?"

"Well, the vampires stuck in there have kin, mates, families, but they're also from a different era entirely, they're a lot like Katherine, older, stronger, if they make it out of there and _feed_…it, it could be the end of this town, maybe even Virginia as a whole." Bonnie felt suddenly sick. She leaned back in her chair.

"I'm starting to envy the me I was a week ago," she said her eyes vacant, "She got to be normal." Stefan smiled sadly.

"Bonnie, who you are, your blood…you were never normal, your life was going to turn to this at some point unfortunately." She wanted to throw the pile of carrot sticks in front of her at his head. Then something occurred to her.

"Stefan," he hummed in response, "Would you consider us friends?"

"…Would you?" He countered and she rolled her eyes.

"I asked first." Relenting he blew air out through his cheeks.

"I consider us to be friends yes," Stefan said, "I came here wanting friends, a new life and I think I lucked out with you to be honest...you're different, even being what you are. Don't take this in any particular way but since Damon I've felt very protective over you and yours, because I know that if the roles were reversed and you could protect me the way I can protect you, I would very much have wanted that."

"You're quite the conundrum Salvatore." Bonnie said but her eyes held amusement and a glimmer of affection in them, "And since I've invited you into my house I suppose I have no choice but to have you as a part of my life now."

"Sounds good to me." Stefan said with a grin which brought out a smile of her face as well. She paused and became serious. "…What?"

"I've been," She took a breath, "…Since Damon mauled me in the woods I've been having dreams…first I thought they were from the pills the doctor gave me for the pain or whatever, but after you told me about Katherine, I –"

"Is this going to become a thing now?" Tyler asked, plonking down next to Bonnie and grabbing up a carrot stick from her lunch and munching on it loudly as his eyes travelled over Stefan, "'Cause if so, chilled," he shrugged, "But then I'd like to say something, if that's okay Bon?" He didn't wait for her to answer and she clamped her mouth shut after he waved a hand at her, "You've already hurt Caroline," Tyler said, all notes of playfulness leaving his voice, "Hurt Bonnie and _I_ hurt _you_, clear?"

"Ty –" Bonnie tried to intercede.

"Crystal." Stefan responded with a tight smile. Tyler held his eyes for a moment and grinned before standing to his feet.

"Good talk Salvatore," Tyler said with an amused face before his eyes flitted down to Bonnie who was glaring at him, "Love you too, Bon. See you later." Bonnie let her head drop to her hands and groaned into her palms. Stefan managed a half smile at the top of her head.

"He loves you, it's understandable." She drew in a breath and nodded, squaring her shoulders.

"I _know_ that, I do," Shaking her head a little she went on, "…Like I was saying – after the woods I had these _dreams_, I think they were about Katherine and Emily…From like, your time."

"_My_ time?" He echoed and she nodded, nibbling on a carrot stick.

"She knew Emily was a witch, she also referred to you as her 'boys' – which is just… _weird_." Bonnie scrunched up her face with discomfort. Stefan nodded and averted his eyes for a few moments, zeroing in on Caroline who was across the cafeteria ignoring Matt as she texted someone. He looked back to Bonnie and tried to smile even with his lips pressed together the way they were.

"Like I said, Katherine…wasn't _good_, by any means. She manipulated her way into our lives and compelled me and dragged Damon along – like we were just a game."

"Does Damon know she –"

"Yes, he loves her despite her flaws, perhaps also _because_ of them," Stefan said, "She's 'it' for him in his eyes, and that's why the more we find out about this spell the more uncomfortable I become because he's going to find out who you are and this spell probably isn't as cut and dry as it seems –"

"I know it's not," Bonnie cut in, "I can _feel_ it, Grams is keeping something from me."

"To protect you I'm sure." Bonnie scowled. "She cloaked you for a reason," Bonnie lifted her brows, "I was sifting through some of the archives at my house and Damon's got a truckloads of information on witches, especially Bennett's. After skimming some of it I realised she must have cloaked you, you're of age, your powers should be rolling off of you in waves but they're not. She did a perfect job of it."

"Did it say anything more about the spell?" Bonnie wondered, leaning in. He nodded.

"The spell can only be done _to_ you, you cannot cast it on yourself and there's…there's a catch."

"Of course there is." Bonnie's foot began tapping against the linoleum floors as she held her fiery gaze on him; her anxiety rushing to the surface.

"It shaves off ten years of the caster's life." Bonnie's eyes bulged. "Sheila doesn't intend to live very long it seems." He became pensive, "In fact, if she's calculated it as I'm assuming she did and she wishes to cloak you again, it'll kill her." Bonnie's mouth fell open and she made a sound that was half choking, half sobbing.

"Why would she? –" Shock cut off her words and her eyes darted here and there before she steadied herself, even if just for a moment, "Stefan, I can't let her do this, I can't just let her think that protecting me, sacrificing herself for me…It's not, I don't _want_ her to, she can't _leave_ me, or _Jeremy_, we need her, _I_ need her, there _**has**_ to be another way!" She was practically hissing at this point, not wanting to raise her voice. Stefan reached across the table and covered her shaking hands with his; locking eyes with her.

"We'll do whatever it takes, okay?" Bonnie dropped her gaze to their hands and then back to his face, "Remember what I told you, I'm here to start over, build a life for myself. I won't let anything jeopardize my _only_ friend's happiness." They both half-laughed at that and she nodded.

"Okay." She said, trying her best to have faith in Stefan and her magic; two things she knew next to nothing about.

* * *

"_Look at them_." Caroline spat as she snapped her phone shut, startling Matt. He frowned at her, about to open her mouth to say something in return, something about how she seemed to have had a complete change of heart since he last spoke to her about Stefan and Bonnie but she was faster, "And I know what I said but it was all that sugar in those milkshakes talking…but I suppose I have no right to be mad about it anymore, I am seeing someone else." Matt rolled his eyes incredulously. Of course she was.

"Who?" The blonde boy wondered and Caroline's face lit up like a firework in the dead night sky.

"Damon Salvatore." With a swish of blonde curls and flowery perfume she flounced off, leaving Matt gawking after her.

* * *

_Bonnie was sitting cross-legged in her room, running her fingers over the elegant script of her spell book. Jeremy was across the hall listening to Nine Inch Nails without his headphones again and any minute now her dad would call up to them to tell them that dinner was ready. Tilting her head she narrowed her eyes at the scribbles in the margins of the page she was on, her curls creating a curtain between her face and the entryway to her bedroom. A sudden clang of a frying pan hitting the ground and rolling around loudly on the tiled floor downstairs brought her up short. _

"_Dad?" She called out. "Everything okay?" she heard Jeremy's door open and close, the soft padding sounds of his socked feet crossing the hallway and heading downstairs, to help no doubt. Sighing and rolling her eyes a little she returned to focus to the book. Then again, a few moments later there was a heavy thud and a low, quick gurgle-gag sound. Her heart hiccupped and she was out of her room, slamming the door shut behind her. "Daddy?" She called out as she made her way downstairs. "Jer?" When she reached the kitchen she recoiled in horror, her father's body had been decapitated and his head was still rolling towards her, slowly, leaving a smudgy crimson trail in its wake. Jeremy's body was let go, slumping to the ground like heavy packets of groceries – just a solid 'oof' as it connected with the floor. Damon's eyes were like shards of glistening crystal when they connected with hers – onyx and ruby. Veins undulating beneath his eyelids hypnotised her even as he made his slow prowl-like decent upon her. She'd started to shake, when, she couldn't pinpoint but all she could comprehend were their dead bodies and her shrill scream in the woods when Damon had attacked her. _

"_You smell like what I'd imagine Heaven would smell like." He purred into her ear, tucking a few curls behind there, letting his finger trail down on her neck, only _just_ touching her skin. "Or Hell, depending on your perspective. Your scent is the most exquisite torture. Even after drinking it, I'm left insatiable, starved – __**violent**__." He punctuated the last word by slamming her into one of the kitchen walls. "Don't cry, too much sadness seeps into the blood, makes me all melancholic and I want to enjoy this," he gripped her neck then, even as his flesh began to burn as he nudged her nose with his, "I don't know how you thought you could keep it a secret from me, being what you are. This is all your fault you know, they didn't have to die but you left me no choice." She gagged and coughed on the thickening smoke that had seemed to engulf him, struggling for air, "Burn me, Bonnie, __**burn me**__. Because either way, tonight you're going to die, you may as well take me with you." She sucked in a sharp breath and locked eyes with him._

"_I hate you." She spat and his smile was brilliant. "You killed everyone I love, your brother too." he remained unrepentant. "You _deserve_ to die, and _I'm_ going to kill you."_

"Nap time's over Bennett." Jeremy called and Bonnie bolted upright with a loud gasp, "That was easier than I thought it would be," he pursed his lips as she pushed her matted hair out of her face and blinked at him until her vision focused, "You have an hour to get ready, dinner's almost finished."

"You got a haircut?" Bonnie yawned. Jeremy hummed unhappily.

"I look like an idiot, I know, get up – I'm not going to be the only one subjected to this." Bonnie groaned tiredly but got out of bed, noticing that she'd gotten a few hours in, meaning she hadn't done any of her homework. About an hour later the doorbell rang while Bonnie and Jeremy argued about who'd be doing the cleaning up after everything. Liz and Caroline walked in along with Matt. Matt bumped fists with Jeremy after shaking hands with Mr Hopkins and kissed Bonnie on the cheek. Liz ruffled Jeremy's hair and hugged Bonnie warmly, doing the same to her father. Caroline bumped her hip against Jeremy's with a wide smile that sharpened when she locked eyes with Bonnie.

"We're all good on the Salvatore front by the way," the blonde said, her voice dripping with malice, "I got the _prettier_ one." With that, she swished past Bonnie into the kitchen, leaving a befuddled Jeremy and a growing headache for Bonnie in her wake.

"What the hell does that mean?" Jeremy muttered. Bonnie crossed her arms and took in a deep breath.

"It means that Damon was only just getting warmed up it seems." Neither of them knew that inside Caroline was reeling and screaming, slamming against the walls that compulsion had put up inside of her head – she had to warn Bonnie about what was coming – no matter what it cost her.

* * *

**Thoughts?**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Dear Diary,**_

_**I just snuck upstairs to try and savour this moment, write it down before I forget this feeling. I was sitting on the floor with mom and Bonnie and the two of them were stuck in the usual debate of nail colour and latest TV heartthrob – once they start there's no getting through to them. But, as I was sitting across from them I remembered the day Bonnie's mom left town – just up and disappeared. I remembered the look on her face when she realised what had happened, why her dad had been crying. I remembered having to hold her as she slumped down onto the floor, the remaining tatters of the letter in Bonnie's shaking hands. I remembered what my mother said to Bonnie that night after she came to fetch us. I was supposed to be upstairs getting something for Bonnie to sleep in but I'd barely made it round the corner when my mom starting talking.**_

"_**You're loved," she said as she cupped Bonnie's cheek, "I know it's not what you want to hear right now, or that you'd rather be hearing it from someone else but I'm here and I'm telling you – you're loved. By me, Grayson, Elena and Jeremy. You've always been so close to my heart Bonnie you know that, and I want you to know that I love you like you are my own." Bonnie's face crumpled then, and my heart lurched in my chest as I watched her try and let mom's words sink in, "You have us, it's not much I know, but it's yours – always." Looking at them now I can see that mom was right. We're all a family, when Rudy's home him and dad act like frat boys as they yell at the screen for some game or other. Bonnie and my mom bake something delicious, Jeremy's eats the majority of it before it even leaves the kitchen and Matt kisses my shoulder to remind me that we're home. Because this is home, and yes, it doesn't always feel perfect but I know that these are the days that I'll look back on and appreciate so much more than I ever could right now. **_

_**I can't wait for the weddings, the babies and the Saturday barbeques with everyone when we're older and smarter and still one big family. Because I know that that's ours to have if we want it. And I want it.**_

_**Always hopeful, **_

_**Elena.**_

* * *

**Chapter Nine: The Dreamer's Disease**

After the dinner, Bonnie got stuck into her Grimoire, trying to find something, _anything_ about compulsion. Maybe she could reverse it and that way she could have **her** Caroline being mad at her and not Damon's Caroline. She'd give anything to have Caroline burst in her room right now and laugh/cry her way through an awkward rant and then they'd make up and everything would be okay. But Damon had made it his mission to make sure that he hurt Bonnie. Not just Stefan, but her too and that meant that war had been declared. And thanks to Sheila, Damon didn't know who he was up against and Bonnie fully intended to use that to her advantage.

"Always busy." Rudy commented, with a tired smile as he peeked into her room. Bonnie raised her head and smiled at him, motioning for him to come inside as she closed the book and dumped a file to cover its title.

"Well, if I want a scholarship –" Bonnie let her voice trail off as she stood to give her father a warm hug. "I missed you." She muttered into his sweater. She didn't need to see his face to know that he was smiling.

"I missed you too." Rudy said. "Did you at least look through the books I got you?" She hummed as she pulled away and pulled up the cuffs of her knitted jersey so that they covered her hands.

"They're all perfect daddy, thank you." He beamed in response and then stilled, widening his eyes as something occurred to him.

"Two things," he said, holding up the appropriate amount of fingers, "One, you have a visitor downstairs so I'll make this quick but secondly and most importantly, I want you to know that I'm going to make sure that Jer stays with us. I know it's what the both of you want and you know I'd do just about anything for that boy. So," Bonnie exhaled happily as she held his gaze, "I want you to stop worrying so much and I want you to tell me where I can help, okay?" She nodded.

"Okay." She said when he narrowed his eyes a little at her. Grinning he made a sweeping motion with his hand to the door.

"Stefan's on the porch, he said it was something about English homework, I don't believe him but what do I know?"

"Daddy," Bonnie admonished, "Why don't you go check in on Jer." The older man raised his hands with a smile.

"I can take a hint." Was all he said as Bonnie bounded downstairs. When she stepped outside she clicked the door shut behind her and smiled in greeting.

"Hello." Stefan said, standing to his feet.

"…Hey." Bonnie said and crossed her arms as the chill swept by her. "To what do I owe the visit?"

"I wanted to give you something for your dad and Jeremy." Her interested piqued expressively and she sat down on one of the porch chairs, waited for Stefan to do the same before she spoke.

"For?"

"It's, uh, _vervain_, it protects you against vampires." Stefan explained, "You can put it in jewellery, stuff like that. I found this stash of it in the cellars of the house; I'm honestly surprised Damon didn't get to it before I did." He handed two bags to her, "One bag is seeds the other is full grown already." Bonnie held the velvet bags in each hand and felt something occur to her in that moment.

"You trust me." She said and then her eyes were on him, like laser beams. Stefan smiled, like he thought it amusing that she'd only just figured it out.

"I do." Was his simple response. "How could I not?" Bonnie smiled warmly at him but then her face fell, something Stefan was quickly growing accustomed to. She was thinking of Caroline. "Did she say anything at dinner?" Bonnie shook her head as she left the bags in her lap and freed up her hands to run through her hair.

"I feel like Damon's using her as a puppet and I don't know what to _do_ Stefan, I don't know how to keep her safe. I wanted to try and convince her to stay here, you know, so Damon couldn't get to her but she got so mad when I asked, our parents started staring and then she stormed out like I'd pushed her." Bonnie's face was pinched, "I'd do anything for her, anything but sit by helplessly while he just uses her against me and you, and fiddles with her head…I _can't_."

"I'll think of something," Stefan vowed, "_We'll_ think of something." He corrected himself when she gave him a look. "In the meantime, make vervain tea and use this," he pulled out a square of thick paper with elegant script decorating it, "It's a protection spell that you can use of jewellery and that kind of thing." She nodded. She started.

"Wait, can't you un-compel her?" Bonnie wondered and Stefan became grave. "…What?"

"I, uh, I can't." He said eventually and she shot him an incredulous look. "I'm not the same as Damon, I don't, uh, feed on – _people_." He whispered the last part and Bonnie recoiled a little when the word left his lips. "It affects my vampirism." Bonnie deflated. "If I try and compel her I'll just make it worse." Silence sat between them for the longest time.

"What about you?" She asked, "How do we keep you safe?" His smile held a little more of his usual sadness in it.

"We can't afford to worry about me as well." Bonnie made a scoffing noise at the back of her throat.

"If you trust me Stefan and we've established that you _do_," Bonnie was sitting straighter, leaning in a little, "That means something to me and whether you like it or not that means I'm looking out for you. I can't be the girl that just lets someone play bodyguard without worrying about them … I never was." Stefan held her gaze. "We're a team, vampire boy, deal with it." He laughed softly, like an exhale. "First we get Care away from him, get her safe and then we figure the rest out, okay?" He nodded.

"Okay." He agreed when she still stared at him. "See you at school tomorrow." She smiled and nodded as they stood to their feet.

"Good night, sleep – wait, do vampires sleep?" She whispered and he grinned.

"We do."

"Sleep tight Salvatore."

* * *

_Two More Minutes _by Jaymes Young was on blast a few days later as Bonnie pulled into the school parking lot. Jeremy was staring out of the window as he usually was when he wasn't sketching or arguing with her about what song to play.

"Okay," Bonnie said as she killed the engine, "Out with it." She sighed when he didn't turn to her and crossed her arms, settling into the car seat as she waited.

"What are we going to do?" He asked after a long moment. "Caroline's acting like she used to when you guys started collecting bubble-stickers and she wanted two of everything and you and I hardly talk anymore and as far as I can tell you intend on literally locking me up in the house whenever anything happens." Bonnie sighed sadly. "And then out of the blue you give me this thing," he raised his hand to the square-cut onyx laden, silver banded ring on his thumb, "It's great and all but it makes my thumb tingle and it won't come off." Part of her was relieved that her spells had worked and that, for a small part, Jeremy was safe. She opened her mouth. "And if you say all I have to do is _trust_ you," he cut her off, "Then I'll scream. You know I trust you but I need you trust _me_ and know that the things you care about are the same for me and I know I'm a kid, but I'm not an idiot."

"I _know_ that Jeremy." Bonnie said, dipping her head to hold his eyes when he rolled them and cast them downward, as if he was waiting for another scolding. "I don't want you to think that I'm doing any of the things I'm doing without you because I don't trust you, _I do_, with my _life_ Jer, but you have to get where I'm coming from. You are a big part of my life, you mean the world to me and I can't even _think_ about what I'd do if anyone did anything to you, it's a non-option for me and I need you to get that. I have the means to protect you against all of this so I'm _going_ to and if the only downside to all of it is you being pissed at me then I'll take it because at least I'll still have you and that's what matters the most to me." When he looked up he was a little misty eyed, but there was still a lingering trail of anger in him, which she understood, she was sure he was looking at the same thing in her. "I love you Jer."

"Love you too." He mumbled and sighed, long and hard before he got out of the car and made his way to class. Bonnie followed him with her eyes, shaking her head a little as he threw up his hood when he entered the main building. The passenger door clicked open and shut so quickly that Bonnie had only just started gasping when Damon spoke.

"Cute kid, little mopey for my taste but," he sucked air through his teeth as he turned to smile at her, "Are you two always this dramatic before school?" Bonnie scowled at him; she could feel her magic fizzling at the tips of her fingers in response to her fear. The only emotion that she felt more strongly than anger in his presence was fear and she could swear he was breathing it in, basking in his effects on her.

"Get out of my car." She growled and his eyes glimmered with mischief. "_Now_." A slight pout formed on his mouth and he grinned.

"Nope." He replied, making the 'p' pop loudly and leaned into her a little further, "My curiosity has always gotten the better of me."

"Your curiosity?" Bonnie echoed, willing the shake to leave her voice. He hummed in the affirmative as his eyes trailed her features with unnerving patience. "Of me?" He moved in closer as he studied her, savouring each moment as it undid all of her nerve.

"Yes." His breath tickled her skin softly before he pulled away, still studying her. "Why my brother suddenly cares so much about you to be more specific."

"He doesn't," Bonnie lied, "We just have class together."

"Oh _Bonnie_," Damon sang, "Why don't we leave the pretending to everyone else, hmm? You and I both know there's _so_ much more at play here." Bonnie frowned at the way he widened his eyes to emphasise certain words.

"You're the only one I see with ulterior motives and sly behaviour." She accused. "Stefan is my friend and you need to stay away from me."

"And why is that?" Damon pressed. "What is it, huh?" He was back in her space but she didn't flinch this time, her little chin sticking out in defiance, he liked it, "What makes you so different from the Barbie Doll?" Bonnie glowered.

"Her name is _Caroline_." She hissed hotly and he beamed in response.

"I don't care what her name is," Damon admitted, "I'd rather know the name of the perfume you're wearing, it's **mouth-watering**." The glittering light in his eyes made her heart drop into her stomach. "You smell so much better than the first night we met." The memory of his teeth in her neck rushed over her and all the distorted mayhem that had come with it. His gaze burned her as it passed over, _one more look_ before he took in a breath and sighed dramatically, "I'll be seeing you Bon-fire."

"Buh – _fire_?" Bonnie echoed lamely as he got up and out of her car, Stefan appearing by her window, startling her afresh.

"What are you doing here Damon?" Stefan snapped as Bonnie hurried out of the car and to his side. The elder Salvatore winked and gave them both a once-over.

"Let's just say I know why you picked _her_ instead." With that, he turned on his heel and walked away. They both watched until Damon was gone, then they turned to one another and spoke at the same time.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm going to burn him _alive_."

Stefan pressed his mouth into a line and steered her towards the school building, promising to talk at lunch. She hardly heard him, she just wanted to have Damon's neck in her hands and she wanted to throttle him for what he'd done, what he was still doing. Treating her like a plaything, and treating Caroline like she was even less than that. They needed to figure out how to turn the tables, and soon, before the table itself was blown to smithereens.

* * *

_Bonnie, Bonnie can you hear me?_

_Bonnie it's me, Elena._

_Blinking, Bonnie opened her eyes and she was back at the Gilbert's house, upstairs, in the middle of Elena's bed with the girl herself. Elena smiled her warm smile and reached out to pat Bonnie's knee._

_You disappeared in your head again, the girl said and Bonnie nodded apologetically, Wanna talk about it?_

_It's okay, Bonnie said, It's nothing. Elena tilted her head, her brown eyes clouding over with something wicked and Bonnie could only watch._

_What game do you think you're playing? Elena asked, her voice slow and precise, the cut of a knife. You don't know what you're doing, you think Damon's a monster? I'm far worse, believe that. I'll kill them all, Stefan and Damon, I don't care. I'll burn this world and I'll use you as the match. _

_Katherine? Bonnie gasped, unable to believe any of it. The girl smiled and her face twisted into a snarl, lined with fangs and vein-riddled shark eyes._

_**Bingo**__. She rushed at Bonnie – _

A loud gasp sucked all the attention onto Bonnie who, after flicking her eyes around herself, dipped her head in red-faced embarrassment.

"Everything okay Miss Bennett?" Mr Tanner asked, his feigned curiosity face making it all worse. "Or did you only just realise which class you're in?" A few students snickered and Bonnie gripped the edge of her desk to keep from saying anything. She didn't trust her voice just yet. "…No?" Tanner pressed on, "Do you even know what the lesson is about?" She didn't reply. "Bonnie," his voice turned serious and she looked up to see all eyes on her. She was still shaking from the dream she'd had. "Don't make me fail you on principle." He sneered. Stefan opened his mouth –

"Leave her alone!" Caroline snapped loudly and both Bonnie and Stefan whipped their head's in her direction.

"_Excuse_ me?" Mr Tanner asked, his eyes narrowing in annoyance. Caroline stammered a bit and Tanner took this time to walk back to his desk, determination clear in his stride.

"Both you and Miss Bennett will be sitting detention tomorrow after school seeing as you're both prone to sudden outbursts in my class, I won't stand for it." Bonnie could barely hear him, her eyes and ears still trained on Caroline. "Anyone else care to join them?" The teacher's eyes zeroed in on Stefan, which didn't go unnoticed.

"Sure, If it's what you want." was Stefan's only response. Tanner smiled a humourless smile and nodded.

"Oh yes," The man said, "I'd very much like that." At lunchtime Caroline was nowhere to be found and there was a football meeting for the team which meant that Bonnie and Stefan had a table all to themselves.

"I had a dream about her." Bonnie said without preamble, "Katherine, I mean." Stefan turned mute. "It was in Elena's room, she was even dressed like her, her hair straight like it always was, usually when I dreamt of Katherine before there were differences; curls instead of lines, corsets instead of Converse." Stefan nodded, "It scared me, made me remember why what we should be focusing on as well as Caroline."

"The tomb-spell," Stefan continued for her as he watched her shaking hands disappear under the table, "Do you think you could get your hands on the spell book? Or at least get a gist of the spell itself?" Bonnie frowned, "Or try and convince your Grams not to do it and deal with the consequences of that." Her frown deepened.

"Stefan I float feathers and lock doors," Bonnie said, her eyes pleading and sad, "I don't know how to stop this anymore than you do. If we somehow can avoid my Grams doing the spell then I'm all for it…the backlash of other Damon-like vampires trying to force her hand anyway…? I don't think any of us can deal with that." She huffed. "Unless…"

"Unless what?" Stefan leaned forward.

"Unless I learn my first big spell." His brows lifted to his hairline, "…A permanent sealing spell. Lock the tomb forever."

"Bonnie –"

"If it means that my Grams is safe –"

"They'll kill you, kill her, Jeremy, everyone you love and know." Stefan explained. "We need to think harder." Bonnie stilled and her eyes lit up like the fourth of July.

"…I think I have an idea."

* * *

Caroline dumped her things beside her bed before she threw herself on it with a low groan of satisfaction. There was a swift swish of her curtains that caused her to raise her head off of her mattress. She locked eyes with Damon. As usual she was flooded with trepidation and a denser, more overwhelming sense of calm, lined with some kind of numbing agent, making her thoughts blur around the edges.

"…Damon, hey." She twisted her body and rose up, sitting with her legs falling off of the mattress. "I didn't know you were coming by." He smiled as he approached.

"That's because I didn't tell you." He said simply, her mouth formed an 'oh', unphased and maybe pleasantly surprised, while her brain reeled and fought against itself, willing her will to the surface to no avail. The closest she'd come to her normal self, had been in Mr Tanner's class but that was short-lived and a waste of an effort. "I need a favour from you." He said, ghosting his fingers down the side of her face.

"_Anything_." She said robotically, a flimsy smile moving her mouth and his returning smile was as beautiful as lightning in a summer storm, she just couldn't look away.

* * *

**Thoughts?**


End file.
